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COFSilCHT DEPOSIT. 




In Vacation Days 



Frontispiece 



RURAL EDUCATION SERIES 

Edited by Harold W. Foght 
Chief of the Rural Divisioa of the U. S. Bureau of Education 



RURAL SCIENCE 
READER 



BY 

SAMUEL BROADFOOT McCREADY 

ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ORGANIZATION OF RESOURCES COMMITTEE FOR 

ONTARIO, AND FORMERLY HEAD OF THE RURAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT, 

PRINCE OF WALES COLLEGE, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND; DIRECTOR 

OF ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FOR ONTARIO; 

PROFESSOR OF BOTANY AND NATURE STUDY AT THE 

ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



D. C. HEATH & CO., PUBLISHERS 

BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO 



'i>'f^^i 



Copyright, 1920, 

By D. C. Heath & Co. 

1L9 



©CI.A5GU)32 

FEB |y IS20 



^ 



^0 

TOt (5itl& and 15op0 
in tl)e 
Country &c|)ool0 

WHO WILL 

IN THE GREAT DAYS THAT ARE TO COME 

MAKE COUNTRY LIFE 

THE SURE FOUNDATION 

FOR 

SOUND DEMOCRACY 

AND 

TO THEIR TEACHERS 

TO WHOM 

THIS SERVICE 

CALLS 



EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION 

This is the first of the Rural Education Series planned and 
written to serve the needs of children who are to spend their 
lives in the open country and in the rural villages. The series 
is based on the present and future requirements of an agricul- 
tural people which has reached a self-consciousness of its educa- 
tional needs as the chief wealth producers in our national hfe. 
Unhappily, in the past, the rural schools have been Uttle else 
than poor imitations of city schools, both in courses of study 
and in methods of teaching. Now, with the great transition 
in our national life and the ushering in of a new era of scientific 
agriculture and of new international relations and responsibili- 
ties which have come to us as a result of the world war, the 
American farmers are beginning to plan their own educational 
system in a way that will afford them both the vision-giving 
breadth of culture and the technical preparation so much needed 
by modern farm life. 

City schools are organized for city children; in a similar 
way rural schools must be organized primarily for rural chil- 
dren. Some people — and farmers among them — have been 
swayed by the false notion that to differentiate between city 
and country folk in educational matters is nothing less than 
gross discrimination against the latter, which will ultimately 
end in the setting up of caste in our country by cutting off rural 
children from the supposedly greater opportunities of city life. 
This is based on the false assumption that city life is superior 
to country life. As a matter of fact, thinking people in every 
station of human endeavor are beginning to reaUze that coun- 
try life is our only normal American life. 

In general capabilities people are much alike everywhere, 
whether in country or in town. All need the same tools of edu- 



vi INTRODUCTION 

cation and all require a good measure of genuine culture to be- 
come truly broad-minded and noble. But in addition, all peo- 
ple require a study of the subjects that are necessary to prepare 
them in a liberal sense for their life occupations; in this respect 
rural children's requirements are at great variance with the re- 
quirements of city children. Here lies the great difiference in 
the study courses of the two classes of schools. 

In each case the study material for the schools should be 
drawn from the environment in which the children live. The 
rural course of study should be planned to give rural America 
a population able to think in terms of country life — a people 
permanently on the land, loving it, understanding it, able to 
make a good Uving out of it, and in every way pursuing happy, 
contented lives in the country. Such a course must be drawn 
largely from the rural environment itself — from the farm place, 
the fields, the streams, and the forests. 

The present text-book series is planned to meet these new 
requirements. The books are based on four definite principles: 
(i) That every rural child is entitled to good health and a 
wholesome sanitary environment in which to grow to full man- 
hood or womanhood; (2) That he has definite opportunities 
and responsibilities as an American citizen; (3) That he must 
be trained to make a good living out of the land; and (4) That 
he must be directed to spend his well-earned leisure and means 
in improving the countryside, its schools, its churches, its roads, 
and its cooperative activities of every kind. 

The first book of the Series is the Rural Science Reader. There 
may be some who will object to calling it by this name. The 
term "Rural Science" as ordinarily understood is hmited to 
studies in the biological and physical sciences directly concerned 
with Agriculture. It is well to consider, however, that the 
problems of the country are problems involving social, eco- 
nomic, and pedagogical sciences also. The advancement that 
everyone hopes for will come from stirrings of the imagination, 



INTRODUCTION vii 

the heart, and the will, as much at least as from the acquire- 
ment of knowledge about soils and crops or farm machinery and 
livestock. The Rural Science of facts alone is a non-vitalizing 
thing. 

Facts are not unimportant, but interest and self-activity are 
much more important. There is often more instruction pos- 
sible from a single copy of a good weekly agricultural paper 
than from the elementary text with which the pupil is provided. 
There is more to be learned at home or on the way to school and 
on neighboring farms than a pupil can learn from any single 
book — if his eyes are opened. In music and play there are 
forces for enriching life no less strong and no less necessary 
than an acquaintance with natural science. For training in 
the kind of rural citizenship needed now and in the future there 
is great need of practice in cooperative instead of competitive 
undertakings. It is believed that this little volume of " stories," 
when properly used, will be productive of this vital interest and 
self-activity in country children. 



TO THE TEACHER 

It has been the aim of the writer in preparing this Rural 
Science Reader to represent in story form how the boys and girls 
in rural schools, under the guidance of inspiring teachers, may 
be so instructed through the use of ready-to-hand material and 
their own activities that their lives will be filled with blessings 
for themselves, for their homes, for their communities, for their 
country, and for the great commonwealth of nations that is to 
be. 

The book is intended to be thought-provoking and action- 
producing. The stories, it is believed, will stir the imagination 
of the boys and girls, and awaken their dormant interest in the 
living, vital, teeming things in our agricultural life. They will 
become eager to reproduce in their own school and in their own 
community the "nature-study club" and "Audubon society" 
discussed in the book. 

The questions at the end of each chapter are intended to do 
more than to produce thought. They will, under the teacher's 
guidance, lead to constructive work that will lay a foundation 
for further valuable study in the other books of the series, which 
are to follow this introductory text. 

With the select group of listeners to whom the writer as pa- 
ternal story-teller has been hitherto more or less restricted, one 
of the essentials demanded for a proper understanding has al- 
ways been whether the story was a "reaUy truly" one or a 
"made up" one. An explanation is due in this regard, here 
also, for this series of stories of adventure in rural education. 
Some are "really truly" stories, but most of them belong to a 
new category that might be called "put-together" stories. 
They are not really true. They are only mathematically true. 



INTRODUCTION ix 

A story teller's privilege has been freely used to put 2 and 2 to- 
gether whenever a 4 was needed, or to make 5's and 6's and 7's 
out of combinations of I's and 2's and 3's. Indeed, if you would 
examine the patchwork closely enough you might find traces of 
vulgar fractions. Dozens and dozens of schools, scores and 
scores of teachers, and hundreds and hundreds of boys and 
girls are taking part in the adventures. As Kipling finds 
justification in Homer for using the commonplaces of life as 
themes for his poems, may not we find like excuse for assembling 
some of the experiences of country schools in these stories? 

"When 'Omer smote 'is bloomin' l3Tre, 
He'd 'card men sing by land an' sea; 
An' what he thought 'e might require, 
'E went an' took — the same as me! 

"The market girls an' fishermen, 

The shepherds an' the sailors, too. 
They 'eard old songs turn up again. 
But kep' it quiet — same as you! 

"They knew 'e stole; 'e knew they knowed. 
They didn't tell, nor make a fuss. 
But winked at 'Omer down the road, 
An' 'e winked back, — the same as us!" 

If you look carefully you may find yourself or your school 
pictured in some such story as that of the School Fair or the 
Progress Club! But you must not tell! 

The Author 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Ourselves i 

The Pupils in the Union School Have a Look at 
Themselves 

II. Our School 8 

How the Stover School Pupils Became Acquaint- 
ed With Their Own School 

III. Our Homes i6 

Studies of Homes by the Homemakers' Club at 
Round Hill School and the Story of One Home that 
was Remodeled 

IV. Our Farms 24 

A Sketch of Blythewood by a Pupil of the Langton 
School 

V. Our Old Settlers 30 

How Silver Lake School Holds Them in 
Remembrance 

VI. Our Neighborhood 39 

A Report of the Investigations of the Russell 
School on its Home Geography and History 

VII. Our Prairie School 52 

The Work of the Lester Prairie School in the 
Pioneer Period of the Neighborhood's Development 

VIII. Our Teacherage 58 

How the Teacher at the Eramosa School Serves 
His Community 

IX. Our School Library 64 

The Hillsbridge School Learns to Make Libraries 
and to Use Them 

X. Our Work Shop 72 

How the Mount Hope School Added Tools to 
its Educational Equipment 



xii CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

XI. Our School Improvement 79 

Beaver Meadow School Becomes an Institution 
that is a Credit to the District 

XII. Our School Progress Club 88 

The Sundale School Does Things 

XIII. Our Nature Study Excursion 94 

The Hillcrest School Explores the River Road and 
• Wells' Woods 

XIV. Our School Garden 104 

IIow Springwater School Advanced Agriculture 
and Education by a Garden 

XV. Our Bird Club 113 

The Story of the Bluebird Club at Greenbush 
School 

XVI. Our Noon-day Lunch 122 

The Indian Road School Organizes a Practical 
Domestic Science Course 

XVII. Our Music 129 

Sunnydale School Develops its Musical Abilities 

XVIII. Our School Diary 136 

Land's End School Records Local and General 
History 

XIX. Our Own Arithmetic 143 

How the Dawn Valley School Makes Its Own 
Arithmetic Problems 

XX. Our Farm Bookkeeping 152 

How the Pupils at the Cedar Creek School Kept 
Farm Accounts 

XXI. Our Weeds 160 

How the Stony Plain School Used Them for 
Nature Study Lessons 

XXII. Our Insect Studies 170 

The Elmvale School Learns of the Farmer's 
Friends and Enemies 

XXIII. Our Health 180 

The Plans of the Booneville School for Making 
Boys and Girls Well and Strong 



CONTENTS xiii 

CHAPTER PAGE 

XXIV. Our School Savings Bank 190 

Page Crossing School Becomes a Partner with 
Uncle Sam in Money Saving 

XXV. Our Home and School Club 196 

The Franklin School Makes Progress when the 
Women oi the District Join to Discuss Educational 
Matters 

XXVI. Our Literary Society 204 

How the Young People of Townsend District 
Kept Growing and Developed their Abilities 

XXVII. Our School Credits for Work at Home 212 
XXVIII. Our Home Garden 217 

A Girl's Description of a Country Family's 
Vegetable and Small Fruit Garden 

XXIX. Our Apple Show and Orchard Study. . . 224 

How the Winona School Became Interested in 
Fruit Growing 

XXX. Our Potato Contest 231 

The North Gower School Wins Places in the 
County Potato-Growing Contest for Boys 

XXXI. Our School Fair 241 

How Glendale School Conducted a Fair of Its 
Own and Joined in Another 

XXXII. Our School Egg Circle 249 

How the Bellvievv Pupils Trained Themselves 
in Cooperative Poultry Improvement and Marketing 

XXXIII. Our Play and Games 261 

How the Chalk River School Interests itself 
and its Neighborhood in Recreation 

XXXIV. Our Consolidated School 272 

How the Malton Neighborhood Came into Pos- 
session ol a Community School 

XXXV. Our School Correspondence 280 

How a Friendship was Formed between an Amer- 
ican School and an Indian School in the Far North 

XXXVI. Our Red Cross Auxiliary 286 

Greenbank School Plays its Part in the Great 
War and is Shown its Part in the Great Peace 



XIV 

CHAPTER 

XXXVII. 



XXXVIII. 



xxxrx. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Our School in France 295 

Cloverdale's Honored Dead 

Our Place in Society 300 

How George Howard Learned that a Farmer's 
Calling Gives Opportunity "to do Something and 
to be Somebody" 

L'Envoi ' 307 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



CHAPTER I 

Ourselves — ^The Pupils in the Union School Have a 
Look at Themselves 




No two schools in all the country are exactly alike; nor are the 
pupils in them alike. Indeed there are no two boys or two girls any- 
where exactly alike. Schools and pupils have individuality, we say. 

There are good schools and there are poor schools. There are manly 
boys and there are other kinds. There are girls who are unselfish and 
there are some who are not. 

When the pupils of a school are honest and obedient, helpful and 
considerate, desirous to learn and zealous of a good name, that school 
is a good school. 

This is a picture of our school. Perhaps it is some- 
what like your school. You may recognize some of your- 
selves in it. 

Here we are! Here we are! 
Girls and Boys from Union! 

Here we are! Here we are! 
Girls and Boys from Union! 
One, two, three, Rah! Rah! Rah! 



2 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

This was the "yell " with which we made ourselves and 
our school known at the school fair in Dundas last Septem- 
ber. You may think this sounds bold, but we did not feel 
very bold when we first tried it in public. Even with all 
the practices we had with Miss Masters we were afraid of 
hearing our own voices. I suppose we are Hke the pupils 
in most country schools in this respect. 

There are thirty-two pupils' names on our school regis- 
ter. We come from sixteen homes. There are six Peter- 
sons (two families), three Arnolds, three Moirs, four 
Crandalls (two famihes), two Dodges, two Van Burens, 
two Kellers, two Spauldings, two Snyders, two McKees, 
one Davis, one Beck, one Sherman, and one Harper. 
That is an average of two pupils from each home. 

Our ages range from six to fourteen years. One day 
we figured the total and average of our ages. Together 
they amounted to 328 years. That makes an average of 
io|^ years. Lucy McKee is the ''baby" of the school. 
She was only six about a month ago. 

Helen Dodge and Christina Moir are the oldest pupils 
in the school. They are both fourteen years old and their 
birthdays are in the same month. 

There are great differences in our heights. All the Cran- 
dalls are tall for their ages, while the McKees are quite 
short. Harold Peterson is the tallest boy in school. He 
is 5 ft. 3 in. That is nearly as tall as our teacher. Miss 
Masters. Elsie Crandall is the tallest girl. She is just 
an inch shorter than Harold Peterson. Hugh Harper is 
the smallest pupil. He has been sick a great deal and so 
has not grown much. Although he is eight he is not as 
tall as Lucy McKee. 

We measure our heights now and then at the black- 



OURSELVES 



board at the side of the school room. Some of us are 
growing faster than others. I gained nearly two inches 
between April and October; Catherine Arnold gained 
hardly half an inch in the same time. She would hke to 
be taller. Our total heights amount to 1805 inches. 
This figures out at an aver- 
age of over 4 ft. 8 in. for 
each pupil. 

Of course there are great 
differences in our weights. 
Hugh Harper weighs only 
38 lbs. Harold Peterson is 
fairly stout as well as tall. 
He weighs 112 lbs. Dora 
Van Buren and Lloyd Davis 
weigh exactly the same — 
86 lbs. 

"We added all our weights 
one day and found that they 
made a total of 2250 lbs. 
There may be some mistake 
in this as we were weighed on different scales, and farm 
scales are often not exact. But the average weight for each 
pupil is about 70 lbs. For the past five years I have 
weighed myself on my birthday and marked my weight 
down. I am 40 lbs. heavier now than five years ago. The 
figures are 65 lbs., 71 lbs., 90 lbs., 88 lbs., 95 lbs., 105 lbs. 

For a Nature Study lesson one day. Miss Masters had 
us note the color of each other's eyes and hair and classify 
ourselves. It was hard to do this, especially for our eyes. 
There is much difference in color between eyes that are 
described by the same word. The blue of Frances Beck's 




Measuring Heights 



4 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

eyes is very different from the blue of my brother Harry's 
eyes. But with Miss Masters' help we counted sLx pupils 
with dark brown eyes, five with hazel-colored eyes, five 
with grey eyes, ten with dark blue eyes, and six with light 
blue eyes. All the Petersons have blue eyes. 

Our school has representatives for nearly all colors of 
hair, too. Helen and Frank Dodge are the only two whose 
hair can be called really black. It is like their mother's. 
Tom Crandall has the only "red head " in the school. Miss 
Masters says, ''Look out for the 'red heads!' They are 
nearly always clever." Ten of us have dark brown hair, 
eight of us Kght brown and the rest have fair hair of dif- 
ferent shades. Mabel and Isabel Snyder are the only 
pupils that have curly hair. We calculated the percen- 
tages of the different classes afterwards for an exercise in 
Arithmetic. 

If there are many differences in our ages, our sizes, and 
our complexions, there are also differences in other ways. 
No two of us are exactly alike. There are family resem- 
blances among brothers and sisters in features, hair, eyes, 
or build, but even some of those who look most alike show 
the greatest difference in temper, disposition, and ability. 

We have different likes and dishkes. Some are quick 
and some are slow. Some are neat and some are untidy. 
Some are lazy and some are willing. Some are serious 
and some are fond of joking. Some are talkative and some 
are silent. 

Some of us like school and come regularly, hardly ever 
missing a day from one year's end to another. A few do 
not Hke school and stay away whenever they can get an 
excuse to do so. Some like Arithmetic best, some Litera- 
ture, some Geography, and some like Drawing best. Nearly 



OURSELVES 5 

every one likes Nature Study. Some are good at Spelling, 
and there are one or two who do not seem to be able to 
learn to spell. 

It is a question whether Katie Moir or Ernest Arnold 
is the brightest pupil in the school. Some months Katie 
stands at the head of the hst and sometimes Ernest does. 
Katie is better in SpelHng, Literature, and History, and 
Ernest excels in Arithmetic, Geography, and Drawing. 
They are the best of friends. Ernest is not a mean rival. 
He will help any one who asks him for help. 

The Mischief of the school is Louis Keller. He is eleven 
years old. Wherever there is "fun going on" Louis is in 
the midst of it. If a dinner pail has disappeared we ask 
Louis about it first. If you discover that you have been 
going about with a For Sale sign pinned on your back, 
you can blame Louis for it. He is not mean, however, 
and does not play tricks to hurt any one's feelings. He 
is a great favorite. Everybody likes Louis. 

The leader in the boys' games is Pat Sherman. He is 
twelve years old. He is a fairly good scholar, too, but 
he likes to play better than to study. He is a fast runner, 
a very good baseball player, and he can cHmb a tree better 
than any other boy. He is very daring. He is fond of 
horses and seems to dehght in riding them at full speed. 
All the boys look up to Pat. He is not the kind of leader 
that bulHes httle fellows. In fact, he encourages the small 
boys to join with the older boys in their games. It seems 
rather odd that the Httle, delicate Hugh Harper and the 
strong, stirring Pat Sherman should be such chums as they 
are. They are about the best chums there are in the 
school. 

The greatest favorite among the girls is Dorothy Cran- 



6 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

dall. It is not because she is clever that every one likes 
her, but because she is kind and thoughtful of others. 
No one has ever heard her say a cross or a spiteful word to 
another pupil. She likes other people. She is not selfish. 
If there ever was a peacemaker in a school she is one. It 
is easy to commence quarrels. It is difficult to mend 
quarrels. Dorothy can do that. Blessed are the peace- 
makers! Miss Masters calls her "my right-hand man." 
And she is. 

This is a little sketch of ourselves. I suppose we are 
just Uke boys and girls in other country schools! 

Suggestions 

1. If you can borrow scales for the school, have a guessing contest 
of one another's weights. As each pupil goes forward write down his 
or her weight. Take turns in weighing in order to learn how to do 
it. Guessing heights would make a good contest, too. 

2. For a game try identifying one another by eyes, nose, or hair. 
One side could take turns in showing eyes, noses, or tops of heads 
from behind a screen for the other side to guess. 

3. Maybe some of you would like to make an Autograph Album in 
which to keep the autographs of your schoolmates and teachers. If 
you make it a part of the loose-leaf Souvenir Note Book that you plan 
to make up with some of your best compositions, maps, drawings, etc., 
the autographs will be less likely to be lost or thrown away. Auto- 
graphs written each year by the same pupil will be interesting to 
compare. 

4. Others may prefer to make a School Photograph Album. If 
any of the pupils take "snaps" with their kodaks, paste these on sheets 
of paper fitting your Souvenir Note Book to remind you of the "Days 
of Auld Lang Syne." The photographs might be mounted alongside 
the autographs, if you wish to combine the autograph and photograph 
albums in one booklet. Pictures of school groups should be kept. 
Copies should be preserved in the school. 

5. Some may wish to make a School Birthday Book. Have your 
schoolmates describe themselves under their signatures — e.g., tell 
their weights, their heights, the color of their eyes and hair, whether 



OURSELVES 7 

they have freckles, their favorite colors, flowers, books, and poems, what 
studies they like best, and what they intend to be. These descrip- 
tions will be cherished in after years when school friends are grown 
up and scattered. 

6. It will be interesting to keep a record of your physical growth. 
Each birthday, for example, mark down your weight and height. 
Perhaps your parents have kept these figures for your younger years. 
If they have, continue them yourself. You might also record your 
intellectual growth by marking down the grade you were in at each 
birthday. 



CHAPTER 11 

Our School — How the Stover School Pupils Became 
Acquainted "With Their Own School 







"!' It I III "■ 

% 1/ ' 1/ 




'"^' 



*^ 



Your school is the most important school in the world — for you, at 
least. There are other schools like yours, no doubt. And there are still 
others, likely better than yours, or poorer than yours. All these schools 
are for boys and girls like you. 

And all of them are for the service of your country too — to make you 
an upright, intelligent citizen of it. That is why America believes in 
schools. For your own sake and for your country's sake, make the most 
of your school. 

Perhaps your school is an old one. Then it has a history. It has 
played an important part in the life of your neighborhood. You may 
be proud of its record. 

Perhaps your school is a new one. Then it has a future. You may 
be proud to have a part in making that. 

We have been having some lessons on our school lately. The matters 
that are retold here are a few of the facts we have learned about it. A 
school is an interesting thing when one comes to be well acquainted with 
it. It is like a person who has known many interesting people, or like 
one who has had many varied e.xperiences. If an old school could speak, 
couldn't it teU stories? They would be real "tales out of school." 



OUR SCHOOL 9 

The present school is not the first that there was in 
the neighborhood. The first school was a log structure, 
built a few years after the district was settled. It was 
used for about thirty years, and then, in 1875, our school 
was built. The old school was located about half a mile 
farther east. The present site is more central than the 
old one. It was given by a Mr. Stover, who owned the 
farm on which it is located. Some of the older people 
still speak of it as "Stover's School." 

The school building itself makes an interesting study. 
We have used it inside and out for practical Arithmetic 
lessons. By our measuring and figuring we know about 
what it would cost to build the stone foundation, and the 
frame superstructure. We also know what it would 
cost to plaster it. Mr. Kinsey, who used to work as a 
mason and plasterer, helped us. Jack Carstairs and 
George Graham went to him, and he explahied the 
rules for estimating the number of loads of stone and 
sand, and the number of barrels of Hme that would be 
needed for the work. After one has the measurements, 
it is not difficult to figure on the material and labor. It 
works out by rule. 

The calculations on lathing and roofing are not difhcult 
either. The number of laths and the cost of putting 
them on are easily found. So are the number of squares 
of shingles, and the cost of laying these. For the prices 
of these materials one of the boys telephoned out to 
Fulton's mill. 

The carpenter's work is more difficult to estimate. 
The cost of the lumber is not hard to figure out, but one ' 
has to have the help of a practical carpenter to know 
how many joists and rafters are required, and of what 



lO RURAL SCIENCE READER 

lengths they should be. To estimate the amount of 
studding, sheathing, and trimming required, an expert's 
help is also needed. 

The cost of doors and window sashes can be found 
easily by asking at the planing mill. We were "stuck" 
with this problem until some one suggested that we get 
George Graham's father to come over and help us. Mr. 
Graham was quite willing when George asked him. He 
used to work at carpentry when he was a young man. 
He explained to us right in school just how the school was 
built, how the joists were set, how far apart the studding 
was, how the floor was laid, and everything. We asked 
him a lot of questions. With his help our problem was 
readily worked out. He knew about how much it cost 
to hang a door, and to trim windows, doors, and the 
wainscoting. 

The painter's and glazier's part of the contract was 
rather difficult to determine. So was the tinsmithing. 
Such jobs out in the country at a distance from town 
cost a good deal, because of the time required in going 
and coming. 

Of course, the school did not really cost $2700, as we 
made it out. When the school was built labor and 
material were a great deal cheaper. The cost was only 
about $1300 at that time. The expense was kept down, 
too, by the neighbors having a bee and hauling the stones, 
sand, and lumber. 

We "took stock" of the school property, too, as a 
practical Arithmetic problem. It was rather hard 
settling on the value of some of the things. By asking 
the folks at home, however, what they thought they were 
actually worth, and averaging, we reached fair figures. 



OUR SCHOOL 



II 



Our total amounted to $1299. The building now is 
not worth nearly what it cost to build it. It is a rather 
old building. 



Land 

Fences 

School Building. , 

Woodshed 

Well and Pump . . 
School Desks. . . . 
Teacher's Desk. . 
Chairs 



$100.00 Blackboards $20.00 

45 . 00 Maps 25 . 00 

800 . 00 Globe 10 . 00 

25.00 Clock 5 00 

75.00 Stove 15.00 

75.00 Bookcase iS-oo 

1 2 . 00 Library 75 • 00 

2.00 



We calculated that, in the forty-two years of its exist- 
ence, about four hundred boys and girls have attended 
the school. There are a few of the old registers remain- 
ing, but most of them were lost long ago. We had 
to get the names of most of the old pupils from our 
fathers and mothers. We made out lists for every farm. 
This seemed to be the surest way of not overlooking 
any one. Here are the records from the farm that Mr. 
Allen occupies now, and the McPherson farm. Three 
generations of the McPhersons have attended the school. 
The Allen farm has usually been rented. 



From the Allen Farm 



George Allen 
Henry Allen 
Martha Allen 
EUzabeth Allen 
David Chambers 
George Chambers 
Janet Chambers 
William Bentley 
Maud Bentley 
Clara Bentley 



Eveline Konig 
Maud Konig 
Sarah Thompson 
Christina Thompson 
John Thompson 
Agnes Thompson 
Richard Thompson 
Calvin Thompson 
Charles Webber 
Annie Webber 



12 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



From the McPherson Farm 



Kenneth McPherson 
Esther McPherson 
Kenneth McPherson 
John McPherson 
Jean McPherson 



Isabel McPherson 
Kenneth McPherson 
EHzabeth McPherson 
Marian McPherson 



There is an old photograph in a frame hanging on the 
school wall that has made quite a puzzle for us. It is 




From an old-fashioned Photograph of a School Group 

a group of the pupils and teacher taken many years ago. 
No one was very sure of the identity of any person in the 
group. No one could tell the name of the teacher. We 
thought that one of the girls was Marian McPherson, 
now Mrs. Thomas Green, and Kenneth McPherson 
thought one of the bigger boys was his Uncle John 
Hungate, but he was not sure. 

Miss Biggar, our teacher, allowed us to take the pic- 
ture to our homes. Mrs. Green was able to tell us all 
about the picture. She was attending the school when 
it was taken. That was about 1881 — just a few years 



OUR SCHOOL 13 

after the new school was built. The teacher was a Mr. 
Ralph Conover, who afterwards became a doctor and 
went out West. 

We wrote down all the names on a sheet of paper, and 
pasted it on the back of the picture. Thirty-six years 
have brought great changes to the boys and girls of the 
group. Ten of them are dead. Only five of them are 
now living in our neighborhood. A large number of 
them have gone to the western states. 

This study of the old photograph led us to have an 
"Old Photograph" lesson one Friday afternoon. We 
had a very jolly time showing each other some of our old 
family pictures and telling about them. At the com- 
mencement of the lesson the pictures were mixed up, 
and we had great fun guessing who the originals were. 

One of our interesting discoveries was about the scat- 
tering of people that takes place from a country district. 
One of the old school registers found was for the year 
1895. There were thirty-six pupils enrolled at the school 
that year. John Thompson was the oldest. He was 
fifteen. Julia Benton was the youngest. She was five 
years old. There were seventeen boys and nineteen girls. 

Some of the boys and two of the girls are dead. One 
of the boys, Ray Merrill, was killed in the Philippines. 
Four of the boys are farmers here, and three others are 
farming in other parts. Five of the girls are farmers' 
wives in this district, and five others are at the head of 
farm homes elsewhere. Two of the boys are store- 
keepers, one is a doctor, one is an agent, one is a loco- 
motive engineer, and one is a saw-miller. What the last 
one, Gus Myers, is doing now no one seems to know. Of 
the remaining seven girls, one is a teacher, one is a nurse, 



14 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

two work in offices, and three are married and living in 
the city. Of the total enrollment of thirty-six, 47.2 
per cent remain on farms, and the others have gone to 
join the town and city population. 

The people are particularly proud of one of the old- 
time pupils of the school. There have been a good 
number of the old pupils who have made successes of 
their lives, but they have not done what John Ferguson 
did. He did not count success in the same way as most 
people. From the time he was about ten years old he 
planned with his mother to be a missionary. His people 
were poor and he did not have a very good chance, as 
most people consider good chances. But he had a stout 
heart and a clear purpose. He spent four years at our 
school, and in spite of all teasing he kept good-tempered 
and friendly with every one. He was a good scholar. 

After his people moved away he got a chance to attend 
high school by working at a doctor's for his board. A 
few years later he completed his education as a doctor. 
Then he studied for the ministry, and soon after went 
to China as a medical missionary. Before he went away 
he visited here and preached in the church at the village. 
All of his old friends turned out to give him a welcome 
and at the same time a hearty send-off. He has been 
in China for twelve years healing the sick and preaching 
the Gospel. He is our school's greatest pupil. 

Suggestions 

1. Gather together all the old school registers, have them bound to- 
gether, and put away for safe keeping and for reference. 

2. Use your school for all sorts of measuring problems and for the 
calculation of costs of painting, glazing, shingling, flooring, lathing, plas- 
tering, carpeting and buUding. Use local prices in the calculations. 



OUR SCHOOL 15 

3. Has your school ever had an Old Boys' and Girls' Reunion? Would 
it be possible to get the addresses of former pupils and teachers, say, for 
the past fifteen years, and invite them back to the old school for a cele- 
bration of its twenty-fifth birthday? 

4. Could you make an album for your school by getting together copies 
of all the pictures of groups that may have been taken of the pupils at 
different times, photographs of the building, lists of former teachers, of 
the trustees, superintendents, and former pupils? Such a record would 
be of great interest to the people of the neighborhood. If the old school 
should be replaced by a new one, or merged in a consolidation, do not allow 
it to pass out of existence without some celebration in recognition of its 
past services. There are many fond memories in the hearts of grown-up 
people associated with old schools. 



CHAPTER III 

Our Homes — Studies of Homes by the Home- 
makers' Club at Round Hill School and the 
Story of One Home that was Remodeled. 




A Nation can be only as great as its Homes are good; 
And Homes can be only as good as People make them. 

Nothing that you can do is more important than helping to make your 
homes happier and better. 

"Oh, the auld house, the auld house, what tho' the rooms were wee! 

Oh! kind hearts were dwelling there, and bairnies fu' o' glee; 
The wild rose and the jessamine still hang upon the wa'; 

How mony cherished memories do they, sweet flowers, reca' ! 

The mavis still does sweetly sing, the blue bells sweetly blaw 
The bonny Earn's clear winding, but the auld house is awa'. 

The auld house, the auld house, deserted tho' ye be. 

There ne'er can be a new house, will seem sae fair to me." 

The Auld House, a Scottish Song by Lady Nairne. 

For the study of Agriculture and Domestic Science 
in the Round Hill School we have two school clubs. 



OUR HOMES 



17 



The boys have their Young Farmers' Club and the girls 
have their Dorcas Homemakers' Club. Our meetings 
are held on Friday afternoons. Sometimes we hold 
joint meetings, and sometimes the girls are guests at 
the boys' meetings, and vice versa. But usually we have 
our meetings going on at the same time. Our room is 
large enough to permit this without one interfering with 
the other, if we are careful not to speak too loudly. 

We have all sorts of 
topics at our meetings. 
One day Annie Karan 
read a funny composition 
that she had written on 
"The Uses of Hairpins." 
Another day our teacher 
gave us a talk on "Homes 
I Ilave Known." 

By means of our pro- 
grams we have learned 
many useful things on 
such subjects as paper- 
ing a room, saving steps, 
the uses of gasoline, how to repair window bhnds, how to 
clean a piano, the care of a sewing machine, fireless 
cookers, and iceless refrigerators, as well as on such sub- 
jects as baking, cooking, sweeping, sewing, and nursing. 
There seems to be no end to the interesting things that 
the newspapers and magazines furnish us. 

Some of our best programs have been about our own 
homes. Miss Hackett has had us draw plans and write 
the history of our homes, as part of our regular work in 
drawing and composition. Such lessons make one better 




Annie Karan Reading her 
' ' Hairpin ' ' Essay. 



i8 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

acquainted with one's home and more interested in it. I 
know I had no clear idea how large our house is nor of 
the dimensions of the rooms until I actually measured 
them with a yard stick. And I did not realize that our 
house has such an interesting history. 

I suppose the most interesting thing about a neigh- 
borhood is its people, and the next most interesting 
thing is its homes. Our neighborhood has a good share 

of good people living in 
good homes. Our 
mothers and fathers have 
been good home-makers. 
We haven't any very 
wealthy people, and there 
are no people who are 
really poor. Most of 
the homes are somewhat 
old-fashioned, for they 
were built quite a long 
time ago, but they are 
very comfortable to live 
in. They are not so con- 
venient, though, to work in. People did not think so 
much about making housework easy for women years ago 
as they do nowadays. 

We have a saying in our part of the country that if 
you see a poor house and a fine barn on a farm it is a 
sign that the man is "boss," but that if you see a fine 
house and poor farm buildings it is a sign that the woman 
is "boss" in that home. The saying was truer a few 
years ago than it is now, and generally, it must be con- 
fessed, the barns had most improvements made in them. 




A Large Barn and a Small House 



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OUR HOMES 19 

One can't be so sure now who is "boss" by inspecting 
the buildings. Inquisitive people would need to make 
very close inquiries to learn this now in many homes. 
"Bosses" seem to be disappearing. Several farm homes 
have been much improved in the last few years. Our 
home is one of these. 

The old house was built about the year i860. For 
those times it was a very good building. When Father 
bought the farm in 1900, he planned to build a new 
house as soon as he felt that he could afford it. The sub- 
ject was one that we often talked about in the family, 
but year after year went by and the old house was still 
made to serve us. Other people got new homes, but ours 
was still a "castle in Spain." If it had had a better 
cellar and some arrangement for getting water easily, 
it would not have been so bad. 

Perhaps the old house might still be our home if my 
sister Isabel had not gone away to teach school. Nearly 
every time she wrote home she mentioned something 
about some of the homes in her district, and when she 
came back at hoHday time she talked so much and so 
often about building a new house, or making over the 
old one, that poor Father had to promise at last that he 
would do something. 

Mother was not so concerned about it as were Isabel 
and the rest of us. She had put up with inconveniences 
so long that she had become rather reconciled to the 
notion of ending her days with them. But Isabel had 
no such notions. She was full of ambition. She 
stirred up my brother Frank, too, and got him to 
join her, so that Father's "wait a while" did not 
answer any longer. It was agreed to get ready during 



20 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

the following winter and start the work early in the 
spring. 

We have been living in our new home now for four 
years. It has been a great pleasure to us all. The old 
home was "Home, Sweet Home," but this one is that and 
"Easy-to- Work-in Home" besides. Father is very proud 
of it, and says that he is sorry that he did not make the 
changes many years . before. Mother is even prouder 




Our Remodeled House 

of it than Father, if that is possible, because she feels it 
has come to her from her children. We children are 
proud of it because Mother and Father are, and also 
because we feel that it fairly represents what our farm 
and our standing in the community warrant. Working 
together in making the new home has made us all better 
chums, too. We are proud of our accomphshment. 

It is not by any means what one would call a fine 
home, nor is it an expensive one. While we have made 
it attractive with vines and shrubs, it is just a plain 



OUR HOMES 21 

matter-of-fact farm home, and the rebuilding cost only 
$1800. The old house was raised up off the ground 
and a good high cement foundation built under it. Then 
the roof was raised and the upstairs rooms changed so 
that a bathroom could be put in, and a balcony built 
over the new veranda at the front. The stairway was 
changed too. The big old-fashioned kitchen that ex- 
tended from the main part of the house was turned and 
a good sized washroom and a pantry divided off at one 
end. 

The feature that pleases Mother, perhaps more than 
anything else, is the fine cellar, particularly the part 
under the old kitchen. This has been fitted up as a 
laundry and summer kitchen. In one corner there is a 
large galvanized iron cistern to hold soft water, and 
alongside, stationary wash tubs. As the house sits on 
the slope of a little hill, one can step outside directly 
into the garden. It is a very pleasant room for a base- 
ment. The windows are large, giving exceptionally good 
Hght for a cellar. In the summer time when it is hot we 
frequently have our meals here — on the "lower deck," 
as we call it. Nearly all the work of canning, pre- 
serving, and pickling is done here, too. In the winter 
it is found very convenient for boiling oats or heat- 
ing water needed at the stables. 

All the old-time slavery of carr3dng water has been 
done away with. It was not difficult to arrange, either. 
A pipe was laid from the well into the laundry and a 
force pump attached to this sends the water up into a 
tank in the attic. From here it goes to the bathroom 
and the kitchen sink. The waste water flows into a 
septic tank at the bottom of the garden. 



22 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Every one votes Isabel's fireplace in the living room 
one of the best things in the new home. She insisted 
on having that, and many a time we thank her for plan- 
ning it. There is no time when home seems so much 
home as in the evening when we are all gathered about 
a good fire. 

We call our home Ingleside. 

" Home, Home, Sweet, Sweet Home 

Be it ever so humble, there's no place hke Home!" 

"You can't buy a home. 
A man buys a house, but only a woman can make it a home. 
A house is a body, a home is a soul." 

Suggestions 

1. Invite your mothers, or old pupils who have been to college, to ad- 
dress your Homemakers' Club at the school. 

2. If possible, borrow from some person who has built a new house 
recently a copy of the architect's plans and specifications to examine and 
discuss at school. 

3. For your School Fair have a girls' competition for the best plans 
and descriptions of a model farmhouse. 

4. If a new house is being built in the neighborhood of the school, make 
observations of the work as it progresses and discuss these in school. 

5. Make. a scrap book or portfolio of house designs or articles on fur- 
nishing, kitchen equipment, sewage disposal, waterworks systems, home- 
made furniture, etc. Procure copies of bulletins on these subjects from 
the Department of Agriculture or the Board of Health. 

6. For problems on carpeting, papering, lathing, plastering, shingling, 
painting, etc., use measurements made at your own homes. Calculate 
costs of furnishing model kitchens, dining rooms, living rooms, and bed 
rooms. 

7. Calculate the distance traveled by your mother in the course of 
an average day's work in your home. Plan rearrangements by which this 
distance could be greatly reduced. Estimate the average quantity of water 
required in your home daily, and calculate the energy required to carry 
this from the well, taking the unit of measurement as the energy required 
to carry one pound through a distance of one foot. 



OUR HOMES 23 

8. If you have a camera, take photographs of home scenes and pre- 
serve them in a special portfolio or album. Make drawings also for the 
same purpose. Preserve pictures of the old house if this should be replaced 
by a new one. A collection of poems written with home as their theme 
would make a suitable accompaniment of the pictures. While home does 
not need another name to endear it, a name chosen to suggest something 
of its location or its ownership is attractive. 



CHAPTER IV 

Our Farms — A Sketch of Blythewood by a PupU 
of the Langton School 




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Do you know any farm folks who would like to be rid of their farms? 
Do you know many town folks who would not like to have a farm? 
Do you know that it is very desirable that rural America should have 
its farms owned by those who work them? 

Read what David Grayson says about the advantages of country life 
and the satisfactions of owning one's farm: — 

"Of all places in the world where life can be lived to its fullest 
and freest, where it can be met in its greatest variety and beauty, 
I am convinced that there is none to equal the open country. For 
all country people in these days may have the city — some city or 
town not too far away; but there are millions of men and women 
who have no country and no sense of the country. What do they 
not lose out of Ufe! 

"If one has drained his land, and plowed it, and fertilized it, and 
planted it, and harvested it — • even though it be only a few acres 
— how he comes to know and to love every rod of it. He knows 
the wet spots, and the stony spots, and the warmest and most fertile 
spots, until his acres have all the quaUties of a personality, whose 
every characteristic he knows. 



OUR FARMS 25 

"It is so also that he comes to know his horses and cattle and 
pigs and hens. It is a fine thing, on a warm day in early spring, 
to bring out the beehives and let the bees have their first flight in 
the sunshine. What cleanly folk they are ! And later to see them 
coming in yellow all over with pollen from the willows!" 

Lately we have been making studies of Our Farms 
in the Langton School. We have drawn maps of them 
and written compositions about them. The studies 



CURRIES FARM 



GARRY ROAD (SECTION LINt) 




Map of Our Farm 

have included their boundaries, their physical features, 
and their products — just Uke geography lessons on differ- 
ent countries. We have also discussed their histories. 
A farm makes an interesting study. 

Our farm is called Blythewood. It is located on the 
Garry Road, four miles from the village of Dracon. It 
is in St. Lawrence County. Our post office address is 
R.F.D. 3, Dracon. The farm is square in shape and 
contains 160 acres. The soil is, in general, a clay loam, 
but at the back near the creek there is some dark swamp 
soil. 



26 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

It is bounded on the east by Kirby's farm, on the 
south by John Engles' farm, on the west by the Third 
Side Road, and on the north by the Garry Road. The 
farm across the Garry Road is owned and occupied by 
Mr. Currie. On the southeast it touches WilHam Engles' 
farm. Our neighbor on the west is INIr. Fisher. 

The land is fairly level, sloping to the south. Near 
the back of the farm there is a little creek flowing out of 
the Kirby farm across the corner and into John Engles' 
property. We call it the Blythely Creek. The highest 
part of the farm is at the front where the house and barns 
are located. The country round about is gently rolling. 
To the north, at the back of the Currie farm, there is a 
hilly ridge called the Hog's Back. It runs east and 
west. It is a very pretty country with woods and or- 
chards scattered over the landscape. From our house on 
a clear day, the top of the church spire at Dracon can be 
seen above the trees. 

The house is located about a hundred yards back 
from the road. There is a driveway leading up to it. 
Seventy-five yards behind the house is the barn. It is 
in a barnyard of about an acre in extent. Opening from 
the barnyard at the back there is a lane leading to the 
back fields and the beautiful five-acre wood lot. Other 
fields open from this lane. There is a two-acre orchard 
on the east side of the house and a small garden behind 
it. At the front of the house there is a lawn, with 
shrubbery along the side next to the orchard. 

Perhaps the most interesting thing about any farm 
is its history. At any rate, Blythewood has an interest- 
ing history. It dates back for over eighty years. It 
has served its owners well. Before Father came into 



OUR FARMS 27 

possession of it, its soil had yielded sufficient to enable 
two farmers to pay for it largely from its crops, to bring 
up their families and give them a start in life, and to 
retire from active work in their old age. That is a 
pretty good record for the productiveness of one farm. 
If all goes well it should do the same for our family, 
though Father has no intention now of ever leaving it. 
It would take a good deal to induce him to sell, even 
if Mother should give her consent. 

Father bought it eighteen years ago. He had been 
hired for five years by Mr. Wilkes, the former owner, 
and had been careful to save his money. When Mr. 
Wilkes decided to retire, he gave Father the first chance 
to buy it. They were very good friends. Mr. Wilkes 
himself had started out as a hired man. An agreement 
was made and Father started off as the owner of a farm 
with a $6000 mortgage — and a wife ; for it was then 
that Mother and Father were married. The money he 
had saved enabled them, with what the Wilkeses loaned 
them, to start housekeeping and to buy a modest outfit 
of machinery and stock. 

The story of how that mortgage was gradually wiped 
out is a real romance. It was not all plain saiHng. More 
than once there were dangers of shipwreck, or at least 
of being blown back to harbor. But by careful steering, 
after five or six years of rather anxious times, they man- 
aged to get over the worst of the passage and find favoring 
winds. The last of the mortgage was paid off six years 
ago. Mr. Wilkes had always made it easy for them. 
He is held in the highest regard in our home for his kind- 
ness. Mother and Father often speak of their early 
struggles. There are improvements to be made yet, but 



28 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

these can be attended to without going into debt. The 

anxious days are long past. 

Father seems to have a real affection for our farm 

— as, indeed, every one of the family has. He knows 

every foot of it, as he should, after twenty-three years 

on it. There are several reasons for Father's feeling. 

In the first place he owns it outright; it is his very own. 

In the second place, he has earned it; one generally values 

anything in proportion to 
what it costs. In the third 
place, it is a good farm; it 
has always responded to his 
labors. In the fourth place, 
it is a beautiful farm; with 
its gentle slopes, its beauti- 
ful trees, and its well-kept 
fields and buildings, it makes 
Our Barn near the Road ^ ^eal picture. In the fifth 

place, it is "Home, Sweet Home"; all of us children 
were born here. These are very good reasons. There 
are many fine farms in our neighborhood, but there is 
none finer, we think, than Blythewood. It was a good 
farm when Father got it eighteen years ago; it is a 
better farm to-day. He contends that a man is a poor 
citizen who does not leave a farm better than he found it. 
Perhaps it is not exactly right to say that Father 
earned the farm. This is hardly fair to Mother. Since 
they were married, she has done her full share of the work 
that resulted in lifting the mortgage and paying for stock 
and machinery. It is her farm as much as Father's. 
In fact, he often tells *is children that if it had not been 
for our mother's encouragement and good management 




OUR FARMS 29 

he probably would be a " renter " at the present time. 
Father is a good steady worker, but Mother has imagina- 
tion and ambition. Working together to pay for their 
own home has made Mother and Father rare partners. 
This kind of struggle sometimes kills the joy of life for 
some people. It has not done so in our home. I do 
not know any who are happier than my parents. There 
are lots of people who are better off, but there are few 
happier. Blythewood is well-named. 

Suggestions 

1. If possible borrow copies of deeds, mortgages, leases, or registry 
office abstracts for examination and discussion by pupils. 

2. What proportion of the farms in your neighborhood are worked 
by their owners? What proportion are rented? How many are worked 
on shares? 

3. Take snapshots or make sketches of the beauty spots or landmarks 
on your farm. A portfolio of pictures of home scenes will be prized 
greatly when you grow older, and particularly if you ever leave the old 
farm. 

4. Discuss the requirements of a model farm. Draw a map of such a 
farm. What farms in your neighborhood come nearest to being model 
farms? Inspect some of the best farms in the district for a Friday after- 
noon excursion. 

5. Write the histories of the farms of the district and put them together 
as a contribution to the school library. This book would make inter- 
esting reading for the older people in the community. Along with each 
history, the map of the farm might be included: coloring the fields, woods, 
orchards and buildings with different colors would make it more map-like. 

6. If a farm has a personality, it deserves a descriptive name. In 
some places, such names are set forth in neat metal letters on the entrance 
gate. Others print the names on their barn. Where a printed letter- 
head is used for correspondence, the name should be made prominent. 
In registering pedigreed horses or cattle the name can be used to advan- 
tage. For example, Blythewood BeU as the name of a fine cow would 
attract attention. 



CHAPTER V 

Our Old Settlers— How Silver Lake School Holds 
Them in Remembrance 





No people can be great who do not acknowledge their indebtedness. 

The Fourth Commandment is: — "Honor thy father and thy mother, 
that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth 
thee." 

We must never forget the debt we owe to our First Settlers, who took 
possession of the wilderness which the Lord their God prepared for them 
for a habitation for their children and their children's children. 

The old settlers in the neighborhood of the Silver 
Lake School are fast disappearing. There are only four 
left now who remember when the country was all forest. 
Soon they will be gone, for they are all over eighty years 
of age. What wonderful stories they can tell! They 



OUR OLD SETTLERS 31 

should all be written down so that those who come after 
will know what they owe to their brave ancestors. 

It was proposed one day that for our next Rural Science 
lesson each pupil should try to have ready a story of 
the early days in our district. We were to ask our 
fathers and mothers to tell us of these days as they re- 
membered them, or as their fathers and mothers had 
told about them. Our teacher said we must not allow 
ourselves to forget what we owed to those who had 
adventured and toiled to estabhsh these good American 
homes for us. To remind us of the topic, she wrote on 
the blackboard: "Our Old Settlers — Lest We For- 
get!" 

The stories told were just as interesting as any that 
one reads in a book. All of the stories told did not refer 
to this neighborhood, as the grandparents of some of 
our pupils settled in other districts. We are planning 
to write the stories down and bind them into a book for 
our school Hbrary. 

These are a few of the stories that were told. 

Ella Holman's Story 

My mother told me a story that she had often heard 
her father (that would be my grandfather) tell. His 
name was William Metcalf. He was only six years old 
when he came to America. That was in the year 1829. 
The vessel they came on was a saiHng ship called the 
Constance. It took them seven weeks to reach New 
York from England. 

They traveled on the Constance up the Hudson River 
to Troy. From there they traveled, on a canal-boat 
drawn by horses, up the Erie Canal to Buffalo. One 



32 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

day, as they were going along quietly, my grandfather 
and his sister Jane, who was two years older, were play- 
ing about on the deck of the boat. Suddenly he tripped 
and fell overboard. Jane screamed and ran to arouse 
her father who was lying asleep in the cabin. Before 
she reached him, however, he had awakened and, under- 
standing as if by a miracle what was wrong, jumped 
through the window into the water and caught his boy as 

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Where William Metcalf Fell into the Canal 

he was about to sink for the last time. It did not take 
the people on the boat long to rescue the two of them. 
My grandfather could remember being wrapped up in a 
warm blanket and getting a hot drink. The next day 
he was none the worse for his cold bath. 

After braving the dangers of the Atlantic in a Uttle 
sailing ship, it seems strange that he should find greater 
danger on a canal-boat on the Erie Canal. 

He Hved to be ninety years old. He helped to clear 
the farm that my Uncle William lives on now. 

Ruth Conway'' s Story 

Father has allowed me to bring this letter that will 
tell my story better than I can tell it. It is a letter that 



OUR OLD SETTLERS t,S 

his mother's father, John Haxton, wrote to his sister in 
Scotland telling her that her husband, Thomas Martin, 
had died in America. Thomas Martin had left his 
wife and family in the Old Country until he could make 
a home for them in America. He had taken up land near 
his brother-in-law's place in Essex County and was 
getting some land cleared and a log house built. 



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Making a New Home in the Forest Wilderness 

One day while working alone in the woods he was 
struck by the limb of a falling tree and badly crushed. 
When he didn't get back to my great-grandfather's 
house at the usual time, they went in search of him. 
They found him alive but unconscious. They carried 
him to the house and sent for the doctor, who lived 
twenty miles away. Before the doctor reached him, he 
had died. 

This is the last part of the letter: 

"Thus have I given you the account of the death of a friend I loved 
and respected. But, my dear Sister, I realize that my loss is but as dust 
in the balance to yours and your little family. Try to take comfort in 
the knowledge that God is all sufficient and will be the widows' and orphans' 
stay. 



34 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

"Should you slill be of a mind to come to America be assured, dear 
Agnes, that while I have a home, it shall be also a home for you and your 
bairns. For their sakes, I think you might well consider it worth while 
to come. It is a land of great promise. 

"I will conclude this mournful letter with my kindest love to all. I 
hope you will find consolation in the Word of God and commit the guid- 
ance of yourself and children to Him who is alone able to guide us through 
life and take us to eternal happiness in the world to come." 

One can hardly imagine the sorrow that letter would 
bring to the little home in Scotland. The loss of hus- 
bands and fathers was one of the prices paid for settling 
this land. Mrs. Martin was a brave woman, though. 
A few years later, when her children were older, she 
came to America, and cleared the farm which they called 
Cornlee after the place on which they had lived in the 
old land. 

Henry Gardner^s Story 

I asked my father if he had ever heard of the Indians 
making trouble for the first settlers. He said he had 
heard his mother say that she was a bit nervous about 
them when she first came into the settlement. They 
used to come down near here every year and camp at 
the river. The Indians would hunt and fish, and the 
squaws would go around to the settlers' homes to sell 
baskets and to beg. 

People had to keep everything well locked up to make 
sure that it wouldn't be carried off. If no one was 
around, the squaws would help themselves to such eat- 
ables as they could find. And they didn't knock at the 
door and wait to be invited in — they walked right in 
without knocking. Grandmother would always give 
them a bowl of soup or a share of whatever she had. 



OUR OLD SETTLERS 



35 



One day in the spring, as grandmother was boiling a 
kettle of soap over a fire in the yard, two squaws 
appeared. They watched her for some time but did not 
say anything. The soap must have smelled good to 
them. When grandmother went into the house they 
waited a while and then helped themselves from the 
kettle. Augh! It wasn't to their liking. And they 




The Squaws and the Hot Soap 

did not wait to beg anything that day. 
come around again for a long time. 



Nor did they 



Leslie Bigelowh Story , 

Father has often told me of the hardships his grand- 
parents and his father experienced in the early days of 
the settlement. My grandfather was just seven years 
old when they moved to the land that is now our farm. 
The first days must have been pretty hard for my great- 
grandmother. She was not used to rough ways. It 
was six years before she could see the smoke from the 
chimney of a neighbor's home. It was fearfully lonesome 
for her. 



36 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

There were not many comforts or many luxuries in 
those days. And sometimes there was very little to 
eat. On the first bit of clearing a small crop of potatoes 
was grown. The first flour that they had was brought in 
eighteen miles through the forest on my great-grand- 
father's back from Mount Hope. He had carried the 
wheat there the day before and waited to have it 
ground. That was hard-earned bread. On one of his 

trips out to the set- 
tlement he brought 
home an apple. It 
was the first one the 
children had ever 
seen. It was cut 
into small pieces and 
every one had a 
taste. 

The forest was 
full of terrors. The 
howHng of wolves 
nearly always made one's flesh creep. One night a 
sheep was killed by them within ten yards of the house. 
Another time a noise was heard outside, and my grand- 
father, who was about fourteen years old, went to the 
door with a lantern. There was a big wolf just outside 
the door. When he saw the light he turned away, snarl- 
ing, and ran off as fast as he could go. 

Helen Scoifs Story 

My grandmother told me about the first kerosene 
lamp that was brought into the settlement. That was 




Going to Mill 



OUR OLD SETTLERS 



37 



about sixty-five years ago. Before this time people 
used homemade tallow candles or "dips" for light. 

The lamp was a great wonder for a time. It was 
supposed to be very dangerous, too. For a long time 
her father would not let any of the children touch it. It 
was always put away carefully out of their reach after 
it had been used. It was not used very regularly, but 
only on special occa- ____^_^,__ 
sions, as kerosene 
was very expensive 
then. Her father 
would always get 
the lamp down and 
trim it himself before 
lighting it. Grand- 
mother had the lamp 
until a few years 
ago when it fell off 
a high shelf and 
was broken beyond repair 
considered it as great an improvement on a candle as we 
consider the electric Hght an improvement on a common 
kerosene lamp. 

We have an old-fashioned stable lantern at our place 
yet. Father keeps it as a curiosity. A candle was used 
in it instead of oil. We have an old-fashioned candle 
mould too. My mother remembers helping her mbther 
put in the cotton wick and pour the melted tallow. 

Suggestions 

I. Invite some of the old settlers to the school for your Friday after- 
noon "Literary" to tell you the story of the early settlement of the neigh- 




The "Dangerous Lamp" 
The people in those days 



38 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

borhood. Learn the location of the first homes, the first schools, churches, 
etc. Also the names of those who introduced the first pure-bred live- 
stock, the first reaper, the first binder, etc. 

2. If a history of your county has been published, purchase a copy for 
your school' library. Sometimes the newspapers publish stories of the 
early days; cut these out and insert them in a portfolio for the library. 
These records should not be lost; the school library is a good place in which 
to preserve them. If good records are written by pupils as compositions, 
keep these in a portfolio for lending from the school. 

3. Honor the founders of the settlement by hanging their pictures in 
the school. Old teachers might be honored in this way also. A tablet 
on the school wall, an ornamental gate, a scholarship for the best scholar, 
or a drinking fountain would be a suitable gift to the school by the de- 
scendants of early settlers. A monument to their memory erected at the 
Town Hall, the church, or the school would be a fitting souvenir. 

4. Use your influence to have the old graveyard in which the early 
settlers were buried kept in respectable condition. A neglected, unsightly 
cemetery is no credit to a community. If it is near the school its care 
might be taken over as a school project. By cooperation with the church 
and the cemetery trustees the school might do a fine public service in this 
manner. 

5. At your school fair have an exhibit of old-time relics, such as ox- 
yokes, handmade forks, iron kettles, tongs, guns, lanterns, snuff boxes, 
jewelry, books, newspapers, school books, musical instruments, photo- 
graphs, letters, etc. If a lunch is served, arrange a special table for the 
old settlers as guests of honor. 

6. Before any old landmarks, such as toll-gates, churches, schools, 
barns, taverns, houses, or trees are done away with, have photographs of 
them taken and preserved in some suitable way. Copies in the school 
library would be useful in learning local history. 



CHAPTER VI 

Our Neighborhood — A Report of the Investigations of the 
Russell School on its Home Geography and History 

^ ^'^^ \ ^ 




Every neighborhood has its history. There is a Past, a Present, and a 
Future. 

The Past is crammed full of stories of individual struggles, trials, de- 
feats, and successes. 

The Present may seem dull and prosaic in comparison with the achieve- 
ments of the Past, but it is not so if we see it aright. 

The Future is in the hands of the Boys and Girls who are at school equip- 
ping themselves for their task. 

Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. 
Neighborhoods are made up of neighbors. 

Lately we have had lessons in our school on "Our 
Neighborhood." We have discussed its geography, its 
history, its inhabitants, its business, and its future. It 
has been good for us to find that our own neighborhood 



40 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

is interesting. It is not at all a humdrum place. As 
Miss Newhall, our teacher, says, "It has throbbed with 
hfe and change and adventure." I can tell you only a 
few of the many interesting things we have learned. 

First, something of its geography. It is located in 
the center of the township of Milton, which is one 
of the divisions of Brooke County. The nearest town to 
the north is Frankton, twelve miles away. Frankton 
is the county seat of Brooke County. It is a place of 
about 4000 inhabitants. Measuring from the school, 
the village of Milton is five miles to the east. There 
are about 500 people living there. 

The Grand Valley Railroad runs through Milton, 
where most of our trading and shipping is done. The 
nearest place of any importance to the south is Fenwick. 
It is eighteen miles away, and about the same size as 
Frankton. Eight miles away to the west there is another 
railroad, the Lewiston branch of the Grand Valley Road. 
The village of Canning, at which some of our people 
trade, is located on this branch. We are well supplied 
with railroads. 

The main road through the neighborhood runs north 
and south, joining Fenwick and Milton. It is an old 
pioneer road, built when the county was first settled. 
It is called the Stone Road, and of late years, since auto- 
mobiles have become so common, it has been well kept 
up. Our school is half a mile east from this road, on 
the road that leads to Milton. This is a very good road, 
too. We call it the Milton Road. The other roads 
form the boundaries to the sections of land into which 
the locality was originally surveyed. 

The surface of our land is rolHng. There are no very 



OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 41 

high hills, and consequently no very deep valleys. Back 
from the river the land is more level than it is near the 
river. In the river valley there is a lot of level meadow 
land. The river itself is only about twenty feet wide 
— most people would call it a creek — and nowadays 
it nearly dries up in the summer. Along the river and 
scattered here and there over the land, boulders are to 
be found. In the hills there are beds of sand and gravel. 
These have been made use of for buildings and roads. 




Indian Relics 

As Miss Newhall explained it to us, these are deposits 
from the glaciers which covered this part of the world 
ages ago. In fact, she says that the surface of the whole 
countryside was shaped as it is by the rushing waters that 
flowed away from the melting ice. The river runs west 
through Canning and flows into the Broad River farther 
west. Thus the water that drains off our land finally 
reaches the ocean about fifteen hundred miles away. 

The history of the neighborhood is even more interest- 
ing, I think, than its geography, for there are so many 
stories of human lives connected with it. Like all the 
rest of our country it was originally owned by the North 
American Indians. They must have hunted a good 
deal through this district, for several people, when plow- 
ing, have found flint arrowheads in their fields and Mr. 



42 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Boyle picked up a stone that was shaped for a skinning 
tool. We had these at school one day to examine them. 
These are the only traces of their occupation that they 
have left, though we think they must have had camping 
places along the river. When the first settlers came in, 
the last of the Indians had moved west, though occasion- 
ally a few would return for a short hunting trip. 

The story of the very first settler in a new country is 
almost as interesting a story as that of Columbus dis- 
covering America. The first white settler in the Russell 
Settlement, as it used to be called, was James Russell. 
He arrived in the year 1829. He was then a young 
man of twenty-four. His parents had come from Mary- 
land at about the beginning of the century and settled 
near Trenton, fifty miles south from here. As the settle- 
ment about Trenton spread over the good lands, some 
of the younger men moved out to new parts. James 
Russell's wanderings brought him here. 

He decided to settle at the river just where it now 
crosses the Stone Road. After building a small log 
shanty, he returned to Trenton and spent the winter 
there. The next spring he returned and brought his 
friend, WilHam Wilson, with him. The two men lived 
and worked together. They made a good-sized clearing 
about the shanty before winter set in. The next spring 
they put in a crop and built two small log houses — • one 
at each side of their clearing. During the summer they 
returned to Trenton and were married to Mary and 
Elizabeth Townsend, sisters. 

Other settlers had been spreading out, in the meantime, 
in the same direction, and a rough road had been opened 
up even before the surveyors had made a survey. The 



OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 



43 



two friends bought a team of oxen, a wagon, and some 
furniture, and returned to the bush with their brides to 
estabHsh their homes. There are no traces left now of 
those first two log houses, but descendants of the families 
still Uve here. Six pupils of our school are descended 
from these pioneers. Jane and WilUe Wilson, and 




A Home in the Woods 



Christina and Anna Todd are the great-grandchildren 
of the first William Wilson. Jamie Russell and Elsie 
Fair are the great-grandchildren of the first James Russell. 
Our school has always been known as the Russell School, 
and we are all proud of it, for James Russell was a fine 
man. 

During the year 1832 three settlers moved in. In 
1833 the district was surveyed, and by 1840, practically 
all the farms were bought up and occupied. Every 



44 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



farm in the neighborhood has a pioneer story of wonder- 
ful interest. Several of these stories were told by the 
pupils. We are writing the stories, too, and putting 
them together to make a "History of Our Neighborhood" 
for our school library. It will be a valuable record to 
have in the school for future pupils to read and to keep 
up to date. Our first settlers were great adventurers. 




European Countries have Contributed to our Population 



Taking the school district boundaries as the bounda- 
ries of our neighborhood, though it is hardly exact to 
do so, our population comprises 182 people. In their 
origin they represent several nationalities. The first 
settlers, comprising the Russell Settlement, were very 
largely of Scotch-Irish descent, from the older settle- 
ments in Maryland and Pennsylvania. There were a 
few families of EngUsh descent, and also a few, like 



OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 45 

the Schaeffers and Yaegers, who were "Pennsylvania 
Dutch." Many of these first settlers, after clearing the 
land, sold their farms and moved out into the new west- 
ern country where they could get more land for them- 
selves and their families. One family is of Norwegian 
descent. The northern countries of Europe are fairly 
well represented. 

The neighborhood must be a healthy one, for a number 
of our people have reached a ripe old age. There is one 
man who is 92 years old, and two men and one woman 
who are between 80 and 90. There are nine people 
between 70 and 80. About half the population is under 
21 years. There are in school thirty-six pupils, whose 
ages range from 6 to 14, and there are in the homes 
thirty younger children not old enough to attend school. 
There are in all 96 women and girls and 86 men and boys. 

Most of the people in the neighborhood have had a 
fair schooling. Some of the older people seem to have 
been better educated than those who have attended 
school more recently. Years ago big boys and girls 
went to school in the winter months. There are only 
two who cannot read or write. Some of the boys 
and girls who left school a few years ago reached only 
the fifth grade. There are two farmers who attended 
high school and one who spent a winter term at the 
Agricultural College. The girls, as a rule, are better 
educated than the boys. Two of our women were 
school teachers before they married. 

The business of the neighborhood has been marked 
by many changes. Twenty-five years ago there was a 
saw-mill at the river and large quantities of lumber 
were sawed from logs and hauled out to the railroad. 



46 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

To-day lumbering is a thing of the past. Large quanti- 
ties of tan bark used to be sold, too, but all the large oak 
and hemlock trees are now well cleared out. A little 
fire- wood is sold occasionally, taken from remnants of the 
fine forest that used to cover the land. The woods 
that remain do not furnish much more than kitchen fire- 
wood from the trees that are blown down in storms. 

In the early days of the settlement there was a great 
deal of wheat grown and shipped. Corn and hay also 







The Sawmill at the River 



were sold off the farms. To-day practically all the grain 
and hay raised on the land is fed to livestock. All the 
farmers, except three, send cream to the cooperative 
butter factory at Milton. Ten years ago the factory used 
the whole milk for making cheese. 

Last year 1056 hogs were fed and sold in addition to 
130 that were killed for home use. There are 570 cows 
kept on the farms of the neighborhood, and 386 cattle, 
including calves, were shipped out last year. Every 
farm has poultry, and a few of the people lately have 
been paying special attention to this branch of farming. 
Turkeys are raised on only twelve farms, geese are kept 



OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 47 

by ten farmers, and twenty have ducks. Sheep were 
formerly kept in considerable numbers. There are 
only five farmers now who have any, and the largest 
flock consists of ten animals. Every one has horses, of 
course. There are 346, including colts. Last year 24 
horses were sold from here, chiefly for shipment to the 
large cities where they were used for teaming and for 
delivery wagons. 

Potatoes are not grown in very large quantities by 
our farmers as a rule. When the season is a good one a 
few wagonloads will be sold, but a buyer has difficulty 
in getting enough to make a carload. Apples are a 
crop Hke potatoes. They are grown for home use, and 
only in an exceptionally good season are there any for 
shipping. All the orchards are old, and they are not 
very well looked after. Small quantities of small fruits 
and vegetables are sold by a few people. 

We made a calculation in school of the value of the 
products from the farms and were surprised at the 
amount: 

Cream $25,000 Carried forward.. .$70,200 

Butter and Milk 700 Cattle 15,000 

Eggs and Poultry 8,000 Sheep and Wool . . 500 

Potatoes and Vegetables. . . 1,000 Horses 4,000 

Fruit 500 Hay and Grain . . . 2,000 

Hogs 35,000 Wood 200 

$70,200 $91,900 

One day we had for our subject, ''What Changes Will 
There Be in This Neighborhood in the Next Twenty-five 
Years?" Miss Newhall told us to talk the matter over 
at home and get the opinions of our fathers and mothers. 
There were many interesting ideas and some funny ones 



48 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



expressed. We discussed the subject in regard to roads, 
transportation, crops, livestock, implements, farm methods, 
schools, and population. 

Several pupils mentioned changes likely to be seen in 
roads and transportation. The Stone Road would be 
rebuilt with cement. All the steep grades on the road 
would be reduced. The roadsides would be better 
kept, and long stretches of shade trees would be seen. 
Soldiers disabled in the Great War would be in charge of 




The New Means of Transportation 

sections of roads. Neat, well-kept homes with gardens 
would be provided for them. The Milton Road would 
be improved, too, but it would not be a cement road. 

An electric railroad would be built alongside the 
Stone Road between Frankton and Fenwick. Another 
would cross the neighborhood, running east and west 
between Milton and Canning. The fare would be a cent 
a mile. Milk and other farm products would be shipped 
on these railroads. They would be used, too, by the 
pupils coming to the new consolidated school that 



OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 49 

would be located a little west from where our school 
now stands. Charlie Van Wyck thought electric rail- 
roads would be getting old-fashioned in twenty-five 
years. According to his notion, air-ships would take 
their place for both traveling and shipping. 

Every farmer would own an automobile before the 
next twenty-five years had passed, and most farmers 
would have an auto-truck and a tractor as well. These 
would be so cheap and so convenient that only one 
team of horses would be found on most farms. 

There were many prophecies concerning changes in 
the farms and the crops. Some thought the farms 
would be larger than they are now, and some thought 
they would be smaller. There would be fewer perma- 
nent fences. A rail fence or a stump fence would be a 
curiosity. More corn would be planted. Every farm 
would have a silo. There would be less land used for 
pasture than there is now. More apples would be grown, 
also larger acreages of potatoes. More clover and al- 
falfa would be grown, and less timothy hay. Some 
thought weeds would not be so common, and others 
that there would be more than ever. Some thought 
there would be few, if any, trees left, and some thought 
there would be trees planted to restore our woods. 

Changes in regard to Hvestock, implements, and farm 
practices were thought hkely to come about. Tractors 
would be in common use and horses would be kept in 
diminishing numbers. More cattle would be kept and 
more milk produced. Milking machines would be quite 
common. More hogs would be raised. Sheep would 
be kept in larger numbers. Poultry-keeping would be 
extended. Groups of neighbors would agree to keep 



50 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

the same breed of dairy cattle or hogs or sheep or hens. 
Much better stock would be seen in the neighborhood 
than there is at present. 

A new kind of school was considered likely to come 
into existence. It would be a consolidated school with 
a four years' high school course similar to the schools 
they are establishing in other places in our country. It 



*f-^-^ 




A Modern Consolidated School 

would have a large playground, play equipment, such 
as a swing and a giant-stride, and an assembly hall for 
concerts. There would be a small farm connected with 
the school, and the principal would have his home in a 
model farmhouse. He would use the farm for experi- 
ments and demonstrations. The pupils, because of the 
electric railroad and auto-vans, would attend regularly. 
The older boys and girls would attend the high school 
classes in the late fall and winter and work at home 
during the spring, summer, and autumn. Young people 
would be much better educated than they are now. 



OUR NEIGHBORHOOD 51 

There will be many changes among the people, ac- 
cording to the opinions expressed by the pupils. Judg- 
ing from the changes that have taken place in the past 
twenty-five years, more than one-half of the farms will 
change ownership, strangers will take the place of some 
of our old residents, and some of the farmers will buy 
neighbors' farms for their sons. A number of the older 
people will retire from active farming and move into 
Milton. 

"Men may come and men may go" but Our Neighbor- 
hood, like the brook, I suppose will "go on forever." 

Suggestions 

1. See Chapter V on "Our Old Settlers" for suggestions about keeping 
records of the early settlement of the neighborhood. 

2. Have the pupils write the history of their home farms. If a deed 
of one of the farms can be procured, exhibit this at the school, and explain 
how titles to land are secured and recorded in registry offices. 

3. From some of the homes in the neighborhood old maps showing the 
occupants of the farms thirty, forty, or fifty years ago may be borrowed. 
Display such a map on the school bulletin board for a week or so. 

4. Study your own neighborhood. There is no more interesting neigh- 
borhood in the country. If it is a good neighborhood with a fine record, 
be proud of this and help to maintain it. If it is a neighborhood that 
stUl may be improved, be glad of the opportunity of helping in tWs service. 

5. Draw a map of your neighborhood, inserting roads, houses, churches, 
stores, the school, and other important data. 



CHAPTER VII 

Our Prairie School — The Work of the Lester Prairie School 
in the Pioneer Period of the Neighborhood's Development 



-'/'-' <-^^i=^i;=^^'' 




- ~^^^-^K~fr^ 



,f\^m^^ 



-.^sv 



j^*^*!^^"^;. 







Where do you think the most important country school is to be found? 

Is it among the mountains? Is it near the sea? Is it in the woods? 
Or is it on the prairie? 

All pioneer schools have been, and are, important schools. 

The small prairie schools have played a great part and are playing a 
great part in the development of the vast central plains of the United 
States and Canada. 

All honor to the prairie schools! 

Our little prairie school will soon be a thing of the 
past! Next year it will be joined with four other coun- 
try schools in a consolidation. There are a few people 
in the district who feel very sorry over this and some 
who feel doubtful about its working out very well. But 



OUR PRAIRIE SCHOOL 53 

the pupils look forward to the change cheerfully. They 
think it will be "lots of fun" going to a larger school. 

The boys are anxious to get shop work or manual 
training and practical work in agriculture, and the girls 
know that they will Uke the home economics classes. 
Several of the pupils have completed the eight grades of 
work in the school and are now ready to take up high 
school subjects, which we understand will be offered 
in the new consohdated school. Of late years, it has 
been hard to keep our school open throughout the year. 
It seems to be difficult to engage teachers and the at- 
tendance has been very small at times. 

Both Mother and Father remember when the school 
was built. Father was eight years old then, and it was 
the first school he ever went to. Mother started to school 
the year after the schoc^ was opened. Father is two 
years older than Mother. They were not born in this 
district. Father's people came from Pennsylvania when 
he was two years old. Mother's people came from Ver- 
mont when she was a Httle baby. The first settlers 
were very anxious to have a school. When the Faulds 
family moved in, there was great rejoicing, for they had 
four children of school age. This made the school popu- 
lation twelve. The settlers were not long in getting 
together after that and arranging for the school. They 
were all enthusiastic, for several of the children were 
growing up without getting much more than a smatter- 
ing of instruction at home. 

Old Mr. Green was the leader. There were two boys 
and two girls in his family ready to attend. He offered 
as a gift, an acre of ground, on the corner of his farm for 
a location, and as this was near the centre of the settle- 



54 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

ment it was accepted. Mr. Mattice built the school. 
The neighbors drew all the lumber and other supplies 
from Oakwood without charge. Some of them also helped 
Mr. Mattice with the carpenter work. All the desks, 
including the teacher's desk, were homemade. So was 
the blackboard. The stove that was bought was the 
old-fashioned, long "box" stove. It was not a very 
expensive school. Everything, including the painting, 
amounted to about $900. 

The years have brought many changes to Lester 
Prairie School although the building looks very much 
the same outside as it did when it was built. Nor have 
all the efforts of Arbor Days succeeded in getting trees to 
grow about it. In the early days the boys and girls 
walked to school in summer and drove in winter. Now 
most of them ride to school and there is a shed where 
they keep their ponies. Inside the school there has 
been much improvement. There are modern desks 
now, a very good blackboard, and a library. The 
teacher's old desk has long been replaced, and the old 
stove around which the first pupils ate their noon lunches 
has given place to a modern upright heater. 

The pupils who attend now are Hke the first pupils 
in many respects. Some of them have the same names 
and similar features. There was a Httle brown-eyed 
Elsie Reid in the early days. There is a brown-eyed 
Elsie Reid to-day. They play the same games. "Ante, 
Ante, Over" never seems to have lost its fascination, nor 
has "Prisoner's Bar." The teachers have come and 
gone in a steady procession. There is no one in the 
district who can recall the names of all of them. A 
few are remembered because they were peculiar in some 



OUR PRAIRIE SCHOOL 



55 



way. A few are remembered because afterwards they 
reached some distinction in the state. Most of them 
have been forgotten except as individual pupils recol- 
lect some story, or some punishment, or some httle 
personal kindness. 

The history of the school has not been entirely peace- 
ful. There has been some tragedy in it. Two years 
after the school was opened there was a fight between 
some of the settlers and a band of Indians who had 




tH^SJfelu^ 



The Indians' Camp 

camped a short distance west of the school. The Indians 
were blamed for setting the prairie on fire, thus destroy- 
ing a few stacks of hay and grain. When two of the 
Green boys went over to speak to the Indians, a fight 
took place, and one of the Indians was shot. Though 
the Indians returned to their Reservation without further 
fighting, for a long time the people were afraid that some 
of them might return to avenge their comrade's death. 
In consequence, the school was closed for a time. The 
place where the Indian was killed is only a few hundred 
yards from the school. It is stiU called the Indian's 
Mound. 



56 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



The changes in the district have been more noticeable, 
perhaps, than the changes in the school. The old pioneer 
trails have been straightened into roads. The land is all 
taken up now. The farms are larger. The homes are 
better as a rule, though some of the old original houses 
are still in use. Many of the old settlers are dead. Their 
children take their places. Several have moved away. 
Strangers have come in in their stead. 

The school and the community have remained through- 




Our New Consolidated School 



out the years. Teachers, pupils, and settlers have come 
and gone, but the school and the community have con- 
tinued to exist and to do their work together. For over 
thirty years the Uttle Prairie School has stood for the 
trained intelligence of the boys and girls of the district, 
and it has done its work well. The community has stood 
nobly for the making of good homes and the Uving of 
free lives. 

And now the little school gives place to the larger 
school. The community will grow, too. All honor to 
the little prairie schools and the pioneer communities! 



OUR PRAIRIE SCHOOL 57 

Suggestions 

1. If you attend a prairie school make inquiries in the district about 
how the school was started. Who built it? Who were the first trustees? 
Who was the first teacher? Who attended the first day? 

2. If you do not attend a school located in the prairie country, arrange 
with yoiu: teacher to open correspondence with a school on the prairie. 
Exchange letters, photographs, flowers, and stories of pioneer days. 

3. Make a list of all the teachers who have taught in your school, and 
also a list of all the boys and girls who have received their education at 
your school and have left the district. 

4. If your school should go out of existence through joining with other 
school districts in a consolidation, see that the memory of the service of 
the old school is not lost. Bring together as many as possible of the 
old pupils and the old settlers for a public leave-taking. Preserve 
pictiu"es and souvenirs of the old school 



CHAPTER VIII 

Our Teacherage — How the Teacher at the Eramosa 
School Serves His Community 



r^~% 




•^ ^Wlf^M. 



■^ '*^^-^ 



You may think it would be strange to have your teacher living year 
after year alongside your school in a home of his own. 

Many teachers whom you have had in your school probably remained 
only a year and always boarded with some family in the district. 

But country boys and girls in some lands would consider it strange to 
have teachers come and go as frequently as they do in America. 

Very often their teacher has been their father's and mother's teacher 
too. 

Teacherages, as teachers' homes are called now, are being built here 
and there in many parts of our country. One western state alone has 
more than two hundred such teacherages for rural schools. 

The early settlers in the southern part of Wellington 
County believed in keeping their teachers for long terms 
of years. In several districts they built teachers' resi- 



OUR TEACHERAGE 59 

dences. The Eramosa District has had only five teachers 
in the past fifty years. 

Not long ago we had a visit at our school from a gentle- 
man named Smith, who was interested in its story. 
Some one had told him that the Eramosa School had a 
residence for its teacher — a teacherage, he called it — • 
and he wanted to learn about it. He had come quite a 
long distance. He said the people in his state were 
becoming interested in this matter, and he wished to 
learn all he could about it so that he might advise them. 
He was very much interested in everything, and asked 
Mr. EHot, our teacher, all sorts of questions. He stayed 
after school, too, and had supper with Mr. and Mrs. 
EHot in their cottage. After supper Mr. Eliot showed 
him about and took liim over to see Mr. Watts, one of 
our oldest residents. 

His visit has made us all more interested in our school. 
He said we should be very proud to attend a school that 
had pro\ided a home for its teacher. We had never 
thought this anything to be especially proud of, for most 
of the country schools that we know of near ours have 
such residences. Perhaps ours is the oldest, but it is 
not the best by any means, though our trustees keep it 
in just as good repair as they do the school, and that 
is sa)dng a good deal. The Marden school residence is 
larger and newer than ours. It was built only thirty- 
one years ago. Marden school is three miles south. 
Their teacher, Mr. Burke, has been there just the same 
length of time that Mr. Eliot has been here, namely, 
fifteen years. They are good friends, and our schools 
visit a good deal for concerts and field-days. Our school 
was built over fifty years ago. 



6o RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Since Mr. Smith's visit there has been a good deal 
of talk in the neighborhood about the former teachers, 
and we have heard some interesting stories — and some 
funny ones. In the seventy-five years that the school 
has been in existence there have been only seven teachers. 
So you see we are easy people to get on with. 

The teacherage was built, in the first place, for Mr. 
Ware. The first year he taught our school, he hved 
in a httle log house about two miles up the road. But 
it was not very comfortable nor convenient for Mrs, 
Ware and the children, and in order to retain Mr. Ware, 
whom everybody liked, the cottage was built. He 
remained in the district as teacher for nineteen years. 
Some of his family still come back to visit old friends 
here. It was Mr. Ware who started the Sunday School. 
Between Mr. Ware and Mr. Eliot, there have been three 
teachers: Mr. Sylvester who taught eight years, Mr. 
Harley who remained six years, and Mr. Muller who 
stayed only two years. You see we never had a lady 
teacher. For myself, I do not remember any other 
teacher than Mr. Eliot. 

I do not know how our district would get along with- 
out Mr. Eliot. He is a good teacher and everybody 
likes him and respects him. He is interested in every- 
thing that goes on and is always willing to help any one 
in any way he can. Mrs. Eliot is like him, too, in these 
respects. He does far more than teach school. Our 
district has always been famous for its good Sunday 
School. Mr. EHot is the superintendent and Mrs. 
Eliot teaches the infant class. During the winter months 
there is a Young People's Society that meets in the school 
once every two weeks. Mr. Eliot is the Hfe of this. 



OUR TEACHER AGE 6i 

He is a good musician and directs the society in singing. 
He helps with the debates, too. 

During the summer, the society continues in opera- 
tion as a Young People's Recreation Society. We have 
a tennis court on the school grounds and there is room 
besides to play baseball, using an indoor baseball. Some 
evenings there are as many as fifty or sixty people 
from the neighborhood out, and they are not all young 
people. For the past three years the society has held a 
Field Day for raising funds for the Red Cross. Last 
year there were more than four hundred people present, 
and more than $200 was cleared. There were all kinds 
of sports. Mr. Brown was a sort of general manager 
for this. He had good assistants from the society. 
Everybody helped to make the day a success. The girls 
of the school had a booth and cleared over $35 selling 
ice cream, cold drinks, etc. 

Mr. Eliot has one of the best gardens in the neighbor- 
hood. It is behind the cottage and alongside the school 
grounds. Two years ago he laid out a part of it as a 
model for the older pupils to -follow in our home gardens. 

Jennie Watts and Jack Smith had good success, and 
Mr. Eliot declared their gardens even better than his. 
We have daily lessons in Agriculture. Mr. Ehot, you 
see, took special courses at the Agricultural College. 

We have benefited from his interest in poultry, too. 
He keeps good Barred Rocks that he has won first prizes 
with at the Winter Poultry Show. Every spring he 
offers any of his pupils a setting in exchange for an equal 
number of our eggs from common fowl, or one pullet 
back when they are grown. It is hard to find anything 
but Barred Rocks in our barnyards now. 



62 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



One of the most interesting things at our school is a 
Httle girls' playroom in the basement. Mr. Ehot fitted 
it up with Mrs. EHot's help. It has been a happy place 
for our httle housekeepers, especially on rainy days. 

There are all sorts of doll's requirements in the shape 
of cupboards, dishes, and furniture. Mrs. EHot gives 
us lessons in sewing sometimes. 

The following is a ground plan of our school premises. 



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Vrjil 



(•<oli 



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BASEBALL 



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VOLLE.Y 
BALL 



SCMOO L 



^V~7^ 






TEAtMtRl/ 

' sub 



TlCAClflEiR'S 
GARDEnI 



53 



LAWN 



eiy 5*. ^> 

The schoolhouse, you see, stands in the foreground with 
the teacherage on a half acre lot at one side. Mr. and 
Mrs. Eliot hve here the whole year round. When school 
is closed in summer he directs our home garden work 
and the other club activities, while helpful Mrs. Eliot 
advises with our mothers and older sisters. Father 
says that teacherages, which had almost gone out of 
fashion, are beginning to be built in many states at 
the new community schools. 



OUR TEACHERAGE 63 



Suggestions 

1. Watch the magazines or agricultural papers for pictures of teacher- 
ages that are being built in different states. 

2. Make a list of all the teachers who have taught in your school since 
it was started. You may have considerable difficulty in finding people 
who remember them all. If you can get photographs of them, put them 
together in a Teachers' Album. Has your neighborhood ever had teachers 
who are remembered as "famous" teachers? 

3. If you have any old residents in the district who got their schooling 
in European countries, ask them about their schoolmasters and their school 
experiences. You will likely learn that schooling is very highly prized 
there. 

4. Do you remember the schoolmaster in The Old Curiosity Shop at 
whose place Little Nell died? Read the story of Domsie in Ian MacLaren's 
Beside the Bonnie Brier Bush for an account of the Scottish schoolmaster. 

5. Did the school teachers ever "board round" in the early days of 
your district? Have you read of Ralph in The Hoosier Schoolmaster? 
Can any of the old people in your district remember when pupils carried 
their share of the wood to school to keep the fire going? 

6. Enumerate all the advantages you can think of from having your 
teacher living in a teacherage at the school all the year round. Do you 
think that such teacherages help to bring men teachers to the school com- 
munity? 



CHAPTER IX 

Our School Library — The Hillsbridge School Learns 
to make Libraries and to use them 




Do you know any grown-up person who cannot read? Don't you pity 
such people? They are terribly crippled. They may not be downright 
ignorant people, for they may be clever in acquiring knowledge in other 
ways than by reading, but they are very helpless people. They may not 
be to blame themselves for their condition, but if it is not their fault, some- 
body has done them a great wrong. Every boy and girl in this land has 
the right to be taught to read. 

Do you know anyone who can read but who seldom, if ever, does so? 
Aren't you sorry for them? If it is because they have no time, or if it is 
because they are too tired or too weak, they are to be pitied. But if it is 
because they have no desire to read, they need to be roused to their oppor- 
tunities. 

Do you know people who can read, but who read foolishly and perhaps 
to their harm? There are such people. They usually read the wrong 
kind of books, papers, and magazines. They read so much trash that 
their minds are in a muddle. Every one should learn to read wisely and 
well. 

Read to he informed. Read to he instructed. Read to he entertained. 
Read to be inspired. 

The world does not want hook-farmers but it does want reading farmers. 
Read! Be a reader! Own a library! 



OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY 65 

During the past year and a half, the pupils in the 
Hillsbridge School have taken a great deal of interest 
in books and reading. It started when Miss Moffat 
became our teacher. Partly to induce tardy pupils to 
become punctual, she began to read to us for ten minutes 
each morning, after school-opening, from The Swiss Fam- 
ily Robinson. When she had finished that story every 
one begged her to read another to us and so she read us 
Black Beauty. We were all anxious to read for ourselves 
after that. Then she loaned the books to us and brought 
a few other books that she said she thought we would 
like as they were old favorites of hers. Once a week, 
instead of taking our reading lessons from the school 
readers, we would read favorite parts from some of these 
books. 

Then Miss Moffat suggested that we should have a 
httle bookcase. Frank Sawyer said he could get a box 
at home that would answer, and with Eric Jennings' 
help this was fitted with shelves and fastened to the side 
wall towards the front of the schoolroom. As the boards 
were somewhat rough and discolored, the girls in our 
class proposed to cover the bookcase. Miss Moffat 
Hked the idea, and we made it look very pretty with a 
remnant of plain wall-paper that Marjorie Davis brought 
from her home. 

Later, when it was found that too much dust gath- 
ered on our books, the girls in Grade 7 made very pretty 
art muslin curtains and hung them with httle rings on 
a small brass rod. We were all very proud of "Our 
Library," as we called it. Several of the boys and 
girls have made similar bookcases for their homes. We 
have one in our Kving room, and every one finds it very 



66 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

useful. Mother says it saves her a lot of work tidying 
up papers and bulletins. 

Our little library was not slow in growing. Old Mr. 
Jenkins, who has always been a great reader, heard of 
our bookcase and sent over three books which he thought 
we would like, Robinson Crusoe; Joe, the Book Farmer; 
and The Boy Mechanic. They were, indeed, acceptable. 
Mrs. Waite gave us two very nice picture books with 
simple stories in them for the younger pupils who were 
just learning to read. Later the trustees voted us $io, 
and this, with $5 taken from money we made at our 
school fair, enabled us to buy several good books. 

We had quite a time helping Miss Moffat to choose 
them from the catalogues she ordered from publishers. We 
got two agricultural books, Plumb's Types and Breeds of 
Farm Animals, and Lewis' Poultry Husbandry, and one 
nature study book, Comstock's Manual of Nature Study. 
These have been used a great deal. With the balance 
of the money we bought story, travel, and nature books 
chiefly, a fair proportion of them being simple books for 
the lower grades. It is surprising what fine books can 
be bought for a httle money. When we were ordering the 
books for the school, a few of us bought books for our 
own Hbraries. I • bought Black Beauty and The Old 
Curiosity Shop. Hazel Roblin, my chum, bought The 
Sketch Book and Anne of Green Gables. Of course we 
all lend our books to one another. 

One shelf in the bookcase is set aside for agricultural 
bulletins and portfolios. We refer to these a good deal 
for our agricultural lessons. Some of the bulletins were 
found at pupils' homes unused and given to the schools. 
For the others Miss Moffat had us write to Washington 



OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY 



67 



and our State Department of Agriculture. We did not 
send for any we could get in the district. 

The portfolios are homemade agricultural books. 
They are really well-arranged scrap-books made up of 
cuttings from the agricultural papers. Each pupil in the 
7 th and 8th grades last year gave one of his or her port- 
folios to the Hbrary. I expect we shall do the same this 
year. They are put together in strong brown paper 




SELECTING. 5T0f?mG 
TE5TJNG "'SEED CORN 




School Portfolios 

binders or covers which have pockets on the inside to 
hold the cuttings and loose leaves until such time as 
everything is ready to fasten together with a lace. The 
loose-leaf system is used, as this allows one to make 
the book as large as one Hkes, and to arrange leaves in 
any order. There were some very good portfoHos made 
last year and there are even better ones being made this 
year. I think the best one in the Hbrary is one on "Breeds 
of Poultry," made by George Falhs. It is very interest- 
ing and complete. There is another very good one on 
''Fruit Growing," and good ones also on "Farm Machin- 



68 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



ery," on "Sheep," and on "House Furnishing and Equip- 
ment." A number of people in the district send their 
old agricultural papers to the school for our use. We 
have four pairs of scissors and a big pot of paste at the 
school. On rainy days the work makes a pleasant 
pastime for the noon hour or recess. 

But we are not hmiting our book-making to agricul- 
tural subjects. We are making portfoUos for our home 




When we Read at School 



libraries on other school subjects and on all sorts of 
matters that we are interested in; one boy is even 
making a "Joke Book." Our uniform loose-leaf plan 
permits this to be done. We make our portfolios 9" 
wide and iif long so as to take in paper of letter-note 
size, namely 8|" by 11". We write our compositions, 
draw our maps, make our drawings, record our rural 
science, and write our exercises on paper of this size -and 
keep them in our portfohos. I have the best of my last 
year's exercises on my bookshelf at home. They do 
not take up much room and I think they will be in- 



OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY 69 

teresting to keep as a remembrance of school days, 
especially the stories I have written for compositions. 
Our little collection of pressed plants is made on paper 
of this size, too, and is kept in the same kind of port- 
folios. A neat collection of common weeds makes an 
interesting exhibit at a school fair. 

Besides the collections for school work I am making a 
''Household Recipe" portfoHo for Mother. She gathers 
together the cuttings and I arrange them and paste them 
in. When a recipe is given her by a neighbor it is written 
out and inserted with the pasted leaves. This has 
brought more work on me from Father. I am making 
him a scrap-book of odds and ends of farm recipes, such 
as remedies for sick horses or methods of treating seed 
potatoes for scab. I have a portfoHo started, too, for 
favorite poems that I notice in our papers. Tom McPhail 
is keeping a sort of history of the neighborhood. He 
collects all notices of births, marriages, and deaths, and 
any articles referring to old settlers or to important 
happenings in the district. Elsie Graham, who is very 
fond of music, is keeping the old favorite songs that are 
printed in a paper for which they subscribe. Norma 
Harris is keeping together copies of famous pictures. 
James Wilson is making up a Uttle history of the Great 
War. 

Each class is making geography portfolios of China, 
Japan, South America, or such countries as they are 
studying. Leah Roberts is mounting snapshots in one of 
her portfolios." David Walsh has started a postage stamp 
collection. There seems to be no limit to the subjects 
that different people are interested in, I hardly think 
any of us will ever be real "authors" but we all are 



70 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

at least "book makers." It helps to make school work 
interesting, I can assure you. 

Our Httle bookcase will soon be too small to hold every- 
thing that is being gathered for it. When we buy a real 
bookcase we plan to get one that has a bottom part that 
can be used as a sort of cupboard for holding our old 
newspapers and such things, and an upper compartment 
with glass doors for holding the books. I do not know 
how our school could get along without a library. 

Suggestions 

1. On P'riday afternoons, as part of the literary program, discuss books 
that have been read. For compositions write summaries of such books 
and keep these among the exercises in your Souvenir Portfolio. Keep a 
list of the books you read, with the name of the author, the date of reading, 
and the names of the chief characters. 

2. To interest people and pupils in old books, arrange an exhibit at 
the school fair of books that may have been brought into the settlement 
in the early days, old-fashioned recipe books, scrap-books, etc. Give 
prizes for the best home-made bookcases, the best rural science portfolios, 
the best collection of agricultural books owned by pupils. Give books 
as prizes for these competitions. 

3. Subscribe for one or more good magazines, suitable for the use of the 
school. In order to make an acquaintance with many of the best, change 
the magazines each year. Arrange occasionally to have some part of 
the school work based on articles in the magazine. Circulate the magazine 
in the pupils' homes and at stated times have an exchange of the magazines 
which people have finished using. 

4. The game of Authors is helpful in acquainting one with the names 
of writers and books. Sets of cards for playing the game might be made 
by the pupils themselves as practical exercises in literature. These could 
be used for play at noon-hour on rainy days. Put up pictures of famous 
authors about the school walls or on the bulletin board. Have contests 
in identifying such pictures, and also in naming the authors of books in 
your library, and the titles of the books associated with authors' names. 
These contests might be carried out like a spelhng match. 

5. Do not allow your school library to become stale or unused. If 



OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY 71 

it is filled up with unsuitable books give them away locally, auction them 
off, or donate them to some institute that may make use of them. Ad- 
vertise the books among the children and the members of their families. 
A well-located bookcase with glass doors that permit the books to be easily 
seen is an advantage. So is an easy plan for borrowing the books from the 
library. A school libary that is little used is no credit to any one. 

6. Put the library in charge of a Library Committee that is changed 
from time to time. One of the Committee's duties should be to encourage 
the use of the books. The most successful committee will be the one 
that has had the most books taken out, and has kept the books and library 
in best shape. Worn-out books — a good sign — should be replaced or 
rebound. Perhaps such favorite old books could be given to pupils as 
prizes. A small, well-used library is more creditable than a large collec- 
tion of books that show little or no use. 



CHAPTER X 



Our Work Shop — How the Mount Hope School Added 
Tools to its Educational Equipment 




Man is a tool- using being. 

Civilization owes much to the wonderful capability of the human hand. 
What a power man has had in being able to grasp things with his thumb 
and fingers! 

This power has given him ascendancy over the lower animals. It 
enabled him first to use a club, then to use a bow. 

It has given him his daily bread from the soil. It has enabled him to 
make and use a hoe and a spade. 

It has given him control of power. It has enabled him to employ ma- 
chines and implements for a myriad uses. 

And as man has become more skilled with tools he has become more and 
more capable of thinking and planning. 

Working with tools always necessitates thought. A person may operate 
a machine without much thinking, but he cannot use a rule, a hammer, a 
square, a plane, or a pair of compasses without using his head to direct his 
hands. 



OUR WORK SHOP 73 

"Train the eye, exercise the hand, strong will be the will, clear the 
understanding." 

Books are not the only means of education. 

Tools train thinkers. 

We have a little workshop in the basement of our school 
that is an interesting place. Before Mr. Mall became 
our teacher, the room was used as a sort of storeroom. 
It was not very long, however, before he put it to better 
use. 

Mr. Mall had not been with us more than a few days 
when we learned that he was handy with tools. First 
he got a screw driver and began to tighten the screws 
holding the desks to the floor. He let some of us help 
him. Then he got Andy Lee to bring a putty knife 
from home and he and Andy put in a pane of glass to 
replace one that had been broken during the hoUdays. 

Before he had been a month in the school there was not 
a thing left to be repaired. The maps were mended. 
The clock was set going again. The door knobs were 
fixed so that they were not always falling off. An old 
chair was braced with twisted wire. Even the hinges 
on one of the doors were oiled and cured of squeaking. 
There was nothing more to be done, though we all tried 
to discover things that needed attention. Our school 
was in " ship shape." We had to find things at home 
to mend in order to exercise our skill. 

I think some of our mothers were surprised, and very 
agreeably, at our new fancies. I don't believe, at any 
rate, there is anything that I do that pleases my mother 
more than making a neat job of mending some bother- 
some old thing, like a broken clothes reel, a chair, or a 
washing machine. It is surprising, too, how many jobs 



74 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



there are that mothers can find for a fellow if he is wilHng 
to do them! 

So, when Mr. Mall proposed a school work-bench for 
the Mount Hope School, he found every boy in the school 
enthusiastic about it. The storeroom was cleaned out by 
willing volunteers. The plan was to build a good, plain, 
substantial bench ourselves, such as would be suitable 
for a farmer's work shop. The trustees agreed to pay 

for the lumber if we 
would build it. Under 
Mr. Mall's direction we 
made drawings and 
prepared an order for 
the material. This was 
sent to Walker's mill 
at Oldtown, and about 
a week, afterwards Mr. 
Corcoran brought the 
lumber to the school. The cost was $8.00. 

It was not such a difficult task to build the bench, 
though a few mistakes were made. If we were to do it 
over again we could make a better job of it. Fitting in 
the drawers was the hardest part. The tools that we 
used were borrowed. The question of getting a supply 
of tools puzzled us for a while. We had no funds, and 
we wanted to provide most of the equipment from among 
ourselves as a gift to the school. This was Mr. Mall's 
wish too. Finally we decided that each of us should 
donate anything that could be spared from home to make 
a beginning and go into debt for whatever tools had to 
be bought. Our plan was to raise the money by making 
things and selling them at our school fair. 




Our Work Bench 



OUR WORK SHOP 



75 



We could have had everything given to us, very Hkely, 
if we had been willing to take it. Every person in the 
district was interested and wilhng to help us in our 
scheme. Mr. Phillips sent a good oilstone. Tom Henley, 
Charlie's older brother, sent a nail box. Will Carney's 
father donated a very good iron vise. My father let 
me have an old iron square and Mother bought a share 
in the company, as she 
explained it, with a 
good tack hammer. 
There were several old 
things sent in which 
were not of a great deal 
of use, but we tried to 
make the most of them 
until we got some that 
were better. There 
were two old saws that 
we cleaned up as best 
we could and sharpened, 
and an old hammer- 
head for which Will Carney made a pretty good handle. 

When we got everything straightened up we appointed 
a committee to manage our work shop as we call it. 
Jim Corcoran was agreed upon by every one as chairman. 
Jim is not the cleverest boy in the school in book studies, 
but there is no one who can equal him in making things. 
Even before Mr. Mall came Jim was famous among us. 
He was always bringing some curiosity to school. One 
time it would be a wooden chain whittled out of a single 
piece of wood, another time it would be a wooden pistol. 
He made a httle fiddle once. Since Jim and Mr. Mall 




Jim Corcoran at Work 



76 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

have become chums, Jim has begun to make more use- 
ful things. He doesn't whittle so much. He set up a 
bench at home in their woodshed and has made several 
useful things, such as a brooder for his mother's chicks, 
and a rustic chair. So naturally Jim was chosen chair- 
man. Mr. Mall calls him the Mechanical Superintendent, 
and the title suits him very well. 

We do not have regular lessons from Mr. Mall, Hke 
pupils in the Manual Training classes in some schools. 
He has explained to us how to handle and care for the 
tools and has shown us how to do a great many things, 
but this has generally been at noon or after four. Some- 
times on Saturdays, too, there are many boys at the 
school working at something they cannot do at home. 

We teach one another a good deal, and Jim Corcoran is 
always ready to help any one in trouble. A lot of our 
undertakings are odd jobs brought from home. I have 
set our saws and sharpened my mother's scissors. Charlie 
Hanley overhauled an old bridle. New hoe handles 
have been inserted. Valves from pumps have been re- 
paired. We have even soldered leaky tinware and put 
a patch on a shoe. 

We had no trouble in raising the money for new tools. 
The little bookracks, that we made after the pattern of 
one Mr. Mall has on his desk, and the handy nail-boxes 
sold readily at 75 cents each at the school fair. Indeed, 
we could have sold more of them if we had had them. 
Our own people bought them, of course, but they were 
very glad to encourage us in our plans — and they re- 
ceived good value. We have a very complete assort- 
ment of tools now and they are good ones. Mr. Mall 
does not believe in buying poor, cheap tools. 



OUR WORK SHOP 



77 



There has been an increase in interest in tools and 
workshops in the district since our work commenced 
at school. Most of the boys are getting some good tools 
of their own for the home workbench and are keeping 
them well — better than farm tools were previously kept 
on any farm that I know. Father promises me that he 
will let me put up a little workshop of our own next 
summer. We are going to get a hand forge in the spring, 




A Farm Workshop 

and I am looking forward to learning how to work with 
iron. 

With a workbench at school, a good assortment of 
tools, and a teacher Hke Mr. Mall, there are many things 
to be learned that will be of daily value throughout one's 
Hfe. 

Suggestions 

1. Arrange at your school picnic for a whittling contest for boys and a 
nail-driving contest for girls. 

2. At some schools arrangements may be made cooperatively through 
a local storekeeper to sell articles made by pupils, such as walking canes 
bird boxes, rustic furniture, and flower boxes. 



78 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

3. For prizes at school fairs or in corn-growing, pig- raising, or canning 
contests, arrange to let pupils select tools if they should prefer such. En- 
courage boys to get together a good collection of tools and to keep sup- 
plies of nails, bolts, washers, paint, putty, etc. 

4. Make lists of all the tools, utensils, implements or machines com- 
monly used I, in eating; 2, in preparing food; 3, in repairing or making 
new clothes; 4, in building houses; 5, in producing milk and making 
butter; 6, in working the soil; 7, in harvesting crops; 8, in caring for farm 
animals. 

5. On well-managed farms it is found to be of great advantage to put 
aside in a particular place all articles needing repairing, or to keep a list 
on a convenient slate or blackboard of all odd jobs needing attention. 
These are then attended to on rainy days or at intervals in the regular 
work. 

6. A farmer has to be an all-round handy man with tools. Make a 
list of all the different trades or occupations that are represented in the 
ordinary repairing and odd jobs about a farm. Discuss the question of 
the saving of time and money through the ability of a farmer to do things 
tor himself with tools. 

7. Purchase books on carpentry, blacksmithing, repairing, etc., for the 
school library. Subscribe for a Manual Arts School Magazine. Cut 
diagrams and plans for farm appliances from the agricultural papers 
and display them on the bulletin board. Keep these in a portfolio for 
future reference. 

8. If any one near the school is building a new barn, putting up a silo, 
or putting in cement work in a stable, make special observations on such 
and discuss them in school. Should the opportunity offer to visit a factory 
where, for example, agricultural machinery is manufactured, do not fail 
to take advantage of it. 

9. Do not let the use of special appliances spoil you for using simple 
tools dexterously. For example, even if you have a pencil sharpener in 
your school, learn to sharpen a pencil neatly with a knife. And be sure 
to examine the sharpener to learn how it does its work and how it should 
be cared for. Make a study of machinery as part of your Nature Study or 
Rural Science work. 



CHAPTER XI 

Our School Improvement — ^ Beaver Meadow School 
becomes an Institution that is a Credit to the District 



•'-4. -a 




Do you know the answer to the riddle: What -is the largest room in the 
world? You don't know it? Why, we all live in the largest room in the 
world! It is the room for improvement! 

Every one should try to leave the world a little better for his having 
lived in it. Boys and girls who help to make their school better are helping 
to make the world better. 

And if you can work together to improve your school, you will learn 
to work together to make other improvements in the country when you 
become men and women. 

There is always room for improvement in everything and every person. 

Our school is called the Beaver Meadow School be- 
cause it is situated at the edge of a low, level creek- 
bottom that used to be the home of beavers. Of course 
there are no beavers to be seen now. The only trace 



8o RURAL SCIENCE READER 

they have left is a low ridge at the lower end of the meadow. 
This marks the location of their dam. Father remem- 
bers, as a small boy, hearing the neighbors tell of break- 
ing down the dam in order to trap the beavers when 
these clever animals were repairing it. But he never 
saw any of the animals himself. 

But I must not say too much about the name of our 
school or about beavers. It is about the improvement 
of the school that I want to tell you. The school was 
built in 1876, so Father says. He knows, because he 
was born in 1870 and at the age of six started to school 
the day the new school was opened. He never attended 
the old log school, though my Uncle Frank and Aunt 
Elizabeth did. The old log school is still standing in 
the field across the road. It is used now by Mr. Stone 
for storing hay. Father says that the people in the 
district were quite proud of the school at the time of his 
early school days. 

It had cost them complete, with half an acre of land, 
a well, fence, woodshed, and new desks, about $1200. 
There was no better school in the county. For many 
years it was kept in very good repair — so the people say. 
But for some reason, which they cannot explain very 
well, it has been neglected of late years, and you know 
how shabby anything that is old, such as a buggy, furni- 
ture, or a building, will become if it is not attended to. 

I am glad that I can say that the school is a better 
school now than it was a few years ago. I helped to 
make it better, and I am proud of that. A person can 
get a good deal of satisfaction from "leaving things bet- 
ter than he found them." Indeed, every one who at- 
tends Beaver Meadow School is proud of it and so are 



OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT 8i 

the people in the neighborhood. I have even heard 
Old Man Grouch, as every one calls Grandfather Hills, 
say that it ''wasn't too bad." So much from him is 
a really good compliment. 

It was in the fall of 19 14 that the improvements com- 
menced. Miss Sadler was our new teacher. We all 
liked her. She was strict in school, but free and full of 
fun on the playground. She played with us nearly 
every recess and noon hour. She was very neat herself 
and used to say that she thought the inside of a school 
should be just as nicely kept as the living room in one's 
own home. She told us of the school she attended in 
Huron County. It must have been a fine school. 

On Friday afternoon about two weeks after school 
opened, we had a discussion on the subject "Our School: 
How We Can Improve It." Miss Sadler had asked us a 
few days before to think over the matter and to come 
prepared to make suggestions. I think she had been 
talking over her plans with the women of the district 
at Mrs. Lee's, though none of them had said much 
about it. She boarded with Mrs. Lee, who was an old 
schoolmate of her mother's, and Mrs. Lee had asked 
her neighbors in to meet Miss Sadler and to help make her 
feel at home. This was the Saturday afternoon of her 
first week among us. 

At the beginning of the lesson only a few of the older 
pupils ventured to offer any suggestion. But before it 
ended even some of the youngest children had spoken. 
There seemed to be no end to the improvements that 
could be made. I remember I said that the front gate 
should be mended and straightened on its hinges, and 
Miss Sadler said, "That's a good idea, Eric. We will 



82 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



remember who made that suggestion." Tom Wallace 
thought the roadside at the front of the school should 
be levelled and cleared of weeds. AHce Keating sug- 
gested that the stove should be blacked and kept clean. 
Agnes Manley thought a waste paper basket would 
help to keep the floor free of litter. Dorothy Brown 
called attention to the dirty windows. My brother 
Fred considered that there should be some shade trees 




A Well-kept Schoolroom 

planted. Frank Manley proposed the need of tidying 
up the woodshed and the grounds. Suggestions came 
thick and fast. Miss Sadler was laughing and we were, 
too. I think we were excited as well. We wanted to 
make some of the improvements right away. 

But this was not Miss Sadler's plan. She first wanted 
us to consider all the suggestions carefully for a few 
days and then decide on the following Monday what 
we could do and how we could do it. In order to keep 
everything in our thoughts, she asked Agnes Manley 




Face p. 83 



Playhouse at a Rltral School 



OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT 83 

and Dorothy Brown to sum up all the proposals and 
write them down on the blackboard. Miss Sadler helped 
the girls do this. This is what the Hst looked like. 



Improvements Needed at our School 

Cleaning — • Windows, stove, stove-pipes, floor, desks, 
walls, maps, bookshelf. 

Repairs — Gate, fence, lock on door, one window 
pane, woodshed door, maps, blackboard. 

Improvements — Straightening up the fence, level- 
ling the playgrounds and roadside. 

New Things — A walk, a foot scraper, a water 
holder, a new floor, new desks. 



On Saturday, and even on Sunday, there was a good 
deal of talk concerning the matter. Naturally all the 
boys and girls spoke of it at home. Driving home from 
church on Sunday people could be seen taking more 
than an ordinary glance at the school. It seemed almost 
as if they had not noticed it before. 

When Fred and I said anything about our plans, 
Father seemed to be somewhat amused. But Mother 
was not. She said it was a good idea. She told us to 
tell Miss Sadler that she would support her in improving 
the old school and asked Fred and me to help our teacher 
in every way we could. 

After our discussion on Friday, Miss Sadler showed 
us a book that told about the improvements that were 
being made in country schools in many places. There 
were a number of good pictures in the book and I bor- 
rowed it to take home for the week-end. Mother looked 



84 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

through the book carefully and pointed out one school 
that she thought ours could be made to look like. Father 
tried to pretend he wasn't interested, but I think he was, 
for when I was going off to school on Monday, he said 
that he would like to have another look at the book 
sometime, if I could borrow it again. 

When the time came for further discussion on Monday 
afternoon after recess, every one was a bit excited. We 
were waiting for a chance to get into action. Several of 
the pupils had brought new suggestions from home. We 
were beginning to see a good deal of fun ahead of us in 
working out our schemes. Just as on the previous 
Friday, there was no scarcity of ideas. To make our 
lesson more interesting, we drew numbered slips of paper 
to decide the order of speaking, and Miss Sadler asked 
us not to tell our numbers. 

Number i turned out to be Jim Moyer. Jim thought 
the boys should do most of the work outside the school. 
He explained how the fence posts could be straightened 
and offered to bring a long line to use for this, as well as 
a shovel. 

When Number 2 was called. Bertha Weaver responded. 
She thought one of the nicest things we could have would 
be a small bed of tulips at the front of the school. She 
had seen in a paper a picture of a school that had such 
a flower bed. She explained how the ground would 
have to be prepared. She offered to bring some bulbs 
from home, but thought that the girls in Grades 5 
and 6 might put five cents each into a fund to buy 
some choice new bulbs. This would be their special 
contribution to making the front of the school attractive. 

Number 3 turned out to be Dorothy Brown. She 



OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT 85 

had been talking over matters with her mother, and 
besides cleaning the windows she proposed a plan for 
making simple art musHn curtains for them. 

The call for Number 4 brought Tom Wallace to the 
front of the school room. His idea of improving the 
roadside had grown into a plan to improve the whole 
school grounds. 

The plan we decided on was to divide up the work 
and have captains. Jim Moyer was the Fence Captain. 
He had three boys helping him, and I was one of them. 
We brought two shovels, a crowbar, hammer, and some 
nails from home. Tom Wallace was the Grounds Cap- 
tain. He had about four boys working with Mm, They 
had a number of rakes and a borrowed wheelbarrow. 

They did their work systematically, and when they 
finished there was not a stick, a stone, or a scrap of paper 
to be seen on the grounds. They cleared out the rubbish 
from the woodshed and used it and a heap of ashes 
that had grown at the side of the school to partly fill in 
some of the deepest hollows on the roadside. A bonfire 
was made of the dead weeds and tall grass. To cut 
these one of the boys brought a scythe. 

Dorothy Brown was the House-cleaning Captain. 
At noon and recess her team was busy. Soap, brushes, 
wash-cloths, and pails were borrowed from their homes. 
Dorothy herself brought stove-blacking and brushes. 
The windows were cleaned. The walls and ceilings 
were swept. The books in the library were dusted and 
tidied. The maps were taken out and dusted. The 
woodwork, including the doors and desks, was washed. 
The floor was scrubbed. One could hardly have believed 
how much dirt there was in the school unless he had 



86 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

seen the dirty water that was thrown out. The school 
even smelted clean. 

Everything had passed off well. The work was well 
planned. We didn't try to do too much at one time. 
No one had shirked. Every one had been in a good 
humor. There had been the very best of team-play. 
On Thursday Miss Sadler proposed a corn-roast for the 
next afternoon to celebrate our victory over dirt and 
untidiness. Friday, at noon, the very last bit of our clean- 
upj as we called it, was completed. Our old school 
looked almost like a new one. We were very proud of 
our work. And Miss Sadler was very proud of us. 

The corn-roast was a great success. The boys had 
built up a fireplace with some of the stones they had 
cleared off the grounds and roadside. The chips and 
rubbish helped to furnish the fire. Along about three 
o'clock, when we were in the midst of our good time, 
my mother and Mrs. Brown came along with baskets. 
It was a great surprise to us, but Miss Sadler seemed to 
understand. Soon after, more mothers and more 
baskets appeared. Our corn -roast became a grand re- 
past. It was a fine way to end our week's work. 

The good work we had started didn't end here. The 
people of the "district became interested. They fol- 
lowed our lead and in the last two years have made 
many improvements. They are again proud of their 
old school. 

Suggestions 

I. Add to your School Library some books dealing with rural schools 
for circulation among the members of the Mothers' Club or the Reading 
Circle. Visit neighboring schools to see how they have carried out im- 
provements. Write an account of your school's improvements for the 



OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT 87 

local paper. Arrange to have printed picture postcards of your school 
and encourage people in the neighborhood to use them in writing to their 
friends. 

2. If your school is not already provided with a work bench and a set 
of tools, make a commencement by getting together a few things such as 
a hammer, a screw driver, a pair of pincers, a putty knife, an assortment 
of nails and some wire. A work box in which to keep all these might be 
made and put in charge of a Tool Committee. 

3. Tn connection with your School Progress Club, if you have such, 
elect a Repair Committee whose business it will be to superintend all im- 
provements that should be made and report on them at the Club meetings 
on Friday afternoons. A girl for looking after the inside of the school 
and a boy for the outside repairs elected monthly would be a suitable ar- 
rangement for the committee. 

4. Are the people in your district proud of your school? Is it an insti- 
tution visitors are taken to see? Is it a credit to your neighborhood? Are 
there homes (or barns!) in the district that are much nicer? If the con- 
dition of the school is not satisfactory, take stock of the school and its equip- 
ment. Successful business people take stock once a year in order to plan 
for the new year. Schools should take stock too. 

5. For the best kind of school ground improvement, it is very desirable 
to have a well-thought-out planting plan. Haphazard planting of trees 
and shrubs cannot be satisfactory. In some cases assistance can be se- 
cured from the Agricultural College. Make a sketch of your school grounds 
showing the location of buildings, trees, etc., and forward it. The plan 
should be carefully retained so that it may be followed year by year. 

6. Some school grounds, in order to be put into the condition they 
should be in, need to be plowed, levelled, fertilized, cleaned and cultivated. 
A good plan to secure this is to turn the entire grounds into a potato patch 
for a year. While the pupils i^re thus preparing the soil in the very best 
way for seeding to grass, a neighbor might lend a small part of a field for 
play purposes. The potato crop grown could be sold for patriotic or school 
improvement funds. The potato-growing might be made the occasion for 
an experimental test of the different varieties of potatoes grown in the 
district. 

7. Many states "standardize" their schools nowadays. Do you know 
what this means? If not, ask your teacher to explain the meaning of the 
phrase. Why not take steps towards standardizing your school? 



CHAPTER XII 

Our School Progress Club — The Sundale School 
Does Things 




The school is a great training ground for future citizenship. The pubhc 
business of the country will always have to be carried on by men and women 
who are willing to accept responsibilities and to give their services freely. 
Such public servants may be partly trained in school. 

Progress results from having clear and worthy aims, carried out by a 
good organization made up of individuals who know how to cooperate. 
The Progress Club at Sundale School should produce some capable leaders. 
The report of its work is a letter from Mary Thomson. 

Our teacher has told us how pleased you were with 
the Club pin she sent to you, and that you wished to 
hear more of our "doings." As I am secretary of the 
Club, I have been asked to write this letter. I have, 
however, had assistance from some of my classmates; 
they have given me helpful suggestions. • 



OUR SCHOOL PROGRESS CLUB 89 

Our Club was organized the sixth of January, 19 14. 
It is called the Sundale School Progress Club. Our 
aim is "The Best Possible School for the People and 
Children of this Community." Our motto is Plus 
Ultra meaning. More Beyond, and there is always some- 
thing to do. Our "Yell" is: 

Hepta, Miniga, HuUaballoo! 
Well, I guess, we're a joUy crew! 
Ripperty! Rapperty! Rub-a-dub-dub! 
Sundale School Progress Club. 
Oats and barley and alfalfa! 

S. S. P. C. 

Rah! Rah! Rah! 

Our school colors are red and green. As you have 
probably noticed, these colors are represented in our 
school pin. We sent to Chicago for 
them. Bought by the dozen they cost 
fifteen cents each. The girls usually 
wear them as brooches. The boys wear 
them on the lapels of their coats. They 
can't wear them very well on sweaters. 

We hold our meetings on Friday 
afternoons after the lessons in agricul- Our Club Pin 
ture. The president takes the chair 
while the teacher takes a seat with the pupils. The meet- 
ing is opened by singing the National Anthem. Then 
the secretary reads the minutes of the last meeting 
from the Minute Book. The committees read their 
reports. The School Room, Library and School Yard 
Committees are elected once a month. The water car- 
riers and wood carriers are elected for each week. We also 
have monitors for passing around the wraps. 




po RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Our programs are quite varied. The commonest one 
is made up of two and three or sometimes five minute 
speeches by the members of the Club. The girls speak 
on household work and the boys tell about things on the 
farm. Sometimes we have a debate, and occasionally 
we have some one from the district give us an address. 
Last week Mr. Switzer, one of the school trustees, told 
us how he feeds and handles his dairy herd. Mrs. Lawson, 
the mother of one of the best members of our Club, has 
promised to give us a talk some Friday on canning vege- 
tables and fruits. We always close our meetings with 
our club yell. This is a sort of "music" in which the 
boys excel. Their help is not very noticeable when we 
sing a song, but in yelling they don't seem to want the 
girls to be heard. 

But I suppose, after all, the things we have done 
apart from our meetings are of most importance, and 
perhaps you would like to hear about them. We estab- 
hshed a bookshelf on which to keep the agricultural 
books and bulletins, also a bulletin board on which pic- 
tures and cuttings from papers are pinned. These are 
in charge of the Library Committee. Some of the 
pupils bring agricultural papers to school. Our reading 
lessons on Tuesday afternoons are on agricultural topics. 

The girls wash the windows and clean the pictures 
occasionally. The School Room Committee keeps every- 
thing tidy about the blackboard, around the desks, and 
on the floor. We have planned to get curtains for the 
windows and also a clock to put on the bookshelf. We 
are making a quilt for the Belgians; it is all pieced and 
we just have to put it together. At our Christmas 
concert we took up a silver collection of $7.55 which was 



OUR SCHOOL PROGRESS CLUB 91 

sent to the Belgians, too. We have been writing to the 
pupils in a school on the Pacific Coast and we exchange 
letters also with two Progress Clubs in other schools in 
our own state. 

Last spring the boys made window boxes and the 
girls of each class planted nasturtium seeds. The girls 
living near the school took care of them during the holi- 
days. They made the school very attractive. For 
the coming spring the boys are planning to make hanging 
baskets for the windows. The School Yard Committee 
has charge of our little school garden. They arrange 
for its care in the summer vacation. The Club arranges 
for the pupils' Home Projects. This year we are going 
to carry on this work with potatoes, and our Progress 
Club will thus act as a Potato Club. Last spring we 
bought an indoor baseball with some of the money in our 
treasury. Every one can play this kind of baseball 
safely. At the County Fair last fall our school won 
the shield given by Dr. Reed for the best school exhibit. 
We are planning to make a better display next fall. 

I am sending with this a copy of our constitution and 
by-laws. They were sent to us in a circular from our 
State Agricultural College and we filled them in. They 
are fastened in the Club's Minute Book. 

We would like to hear what other School Progress 
Clubs are doing. 

Yours truly, 

Mary Thomson. 



92 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Constitution 

I. Name: This organization shall be known as the Sundale ScTiool 
Progress Club. 

II. Colors: The Club colors shall be red and green. 

III. Motto: The Club Motto shall be Plus Ultra. 

IV. Aim: The best possible school for the people and children of this 
community. 

V. Yell: Hepta, Miniga, Hullaballoo! 

Well, I guess, we're a jolly crew! 
Ripperty! Rapperty! Rub-a-dub-dub 
Sundale School Progress Club. 
Oats and barley and alfalfa! 

S. S. P. C. 

Rah! Rah! Rah! 

VI. Membership: Any pupil of the school in the fifth, sixth, seventh, 
or eighth grade, or any pupil who is over ten years of age shall be eligible 
for membership. 

VII. Purposes: (i) One purpose of the Club shall be to improve and 
beautify our school and school grounds. 

(2) A second purpose of the Club shall be to train our members to 
conduct meetings, speak in pubhc, and cooperate in all matters that con- 
cern our school's welfare. 

(3) Another purpose shall be to learn agriculture and domestic science 
through Club meetings by talks from farmers and housekeepers and by 
means of school gardening and home projects. 

VIII. Officers: The officers of the Club shall be a President, a Vice- 
President, a Secretary and Treasurer; these officers shall compose the 
Executive Committee. The teacher shall be ex-officio director and adviser 
to the Club. 

By-Laws 

1. The officers shall be elected at the beginning of each half-year. 

2. The membership fee shall be five cents, payable half-yearly. 

3. Meetings shall be held on Friday afternoons or at other suitable 
times as arranged by the Executive Committee. 

4. Every member shall join some part of the work undertaken by the 
Club. Younger pupils in the school will be encouraged to take part in the 
meetings. 



OUR SCHOOL PROGRESS CLUB 93 

Order of Business 

1. Reading of minutes. 

2. Communications, letters from other schools, etc. 

3. Reports of Committees and New Business. 

4. Program — Addresses, papers, reports on home projects, or debate 

Suggestions 

1. Can your school be improved in any particular by all working to- 
gether? If there is room for improvement, organize an Improvement 
Club. 

2. Learn to address an audience in a clear, out-spoken manner. Also 
learn how to conduct public meetings. Knowledge of these two things will 
be very useful in after life. 

3. Donate the Minute Book of your Club, when it is filled, to the School 
Library. It will be interesting to future classes 

4. Invite your friends to an occasional meeting of your Club. Appoint 
a critic from among the visitors to point out how improvements can be 
made. 

5. Have a contest in composing a school yell and a school motto. 

6. Conduct the election of officers for your School Club in the proper 
manner. Have nominations and vote by ballot. Learn the procedure, 
followed in the election of your school board, your municipal council, and 
your church officials. 

7. If the opportunity offers, attend a meeting of some organization 
to learn how public business is conducted. The older boys might attend 
some of the meetings of the local Farmers' Club and the girls those of 
the Women's Institute, in preparation for the time when they will take the 
places of men and women. 



CHAPTER XIII 

Our Nature Study Excursion — The Hillcrest School 
Explores the River Road and Wells' Woods 




And Nature, the old nurse, took 
The child upon her knee, 

Saying, "Here is a story book 
Thy Father has written for thee." 

"Come, wander with me," she said, 
"Into regions yet untrod. 
And read what is still unread 
In the manuscripts of God." 

And he wandered away and away, 
With Nature, the dear old nurse, 

Who sang to him night and day 
The rhymes of the universe. 



And whenever the way seemed long, 

Or his heart began to fail. 
She would sing a more wonderful song. 

Or tell a more wonderful tale. 

— Longfellow 



OUR NATURE STUDY EXCURSION 95 

All your life you can go to school to Nature. She is kinder- 
garten, elementary school, high school, college, and university. 
You can never learn all that Nature has to teach. Her course 
of study is inexhaustible. 

You cannot very well get away from her school unless you de- 
liberately shut your eyes, stop your ears, and lock yourself up. 
Every time you look out of the window, or put your head out-of- 
doors, or take a walk, or work in the garden, or wash dishes, or 
bake bread, or feed the cattle, or pump water, or split wood, or 
mend a machine, or go to the grocery store, or pick up a stone, 
or watch a railroad train, you may learn of Nature. 

The country is crammed full of educating interests. That is 
why rnany people living in the country may be found to be well 
educated, though they may not have had much schooling. They 
have learned in Nature's school day by day as they did their work 
and observed closely. 

Learn to learn by observing the common, near-at-hand things 
about you. 

We have three kinds of Nature Study lessons at our 
school. Every morning the first thing after school is 
opened we have "Observations." Every one is ex- 
pected to learn something each day by observing, and 
to be ready to report on it after roll-call. To guide us 
in this, Miss Baldwin, our teacher, generally suggests 
something for us to look for, such as the colors of the 
sunsets, the shape of the moon, the growth of plants, or 
how different birds fly. But she likes to get reports, too, 
on things we observe without any directions. 

Some days we use about ten minutes for this work, 
and when there are many interesting things to report 
we cannot finish in fifteen minutes. Once we spent the 
whole period talking about how a robin builds its nest. 
Nearly every one in the class had seen something to 
tell. Another day we used all the time telHng about 



96 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



V» 



the way maple and horse chestnut leaves open from their 
buds and how fast they grow. 

Then usually on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons 
the older pupils have lessons on nature objects. One day 
last winter we had a very interesting lesson on a head 
of wheat. For this we studied some of the heads from 
a httle sheaf that had been used for 
decorating the school at the time of 
the school fair. Each of us took a 
head and, following Miss Baldwin's 
instructions, pulled off the spikelets 
carefully and laid them in order on 
a sheet of paper. Then we opened 
up each spikelet and sorted out the 
grains. There were considerable 
differences in the total number of 
grains in the heads, and differences, 
too, in the size and plumpness of the 
grains in different parts of the head. 
After this we made a study of 
heads of oats. This week we studied apple twigs. 
Next week we expect to study the structure of a potato, 
and then when the trees are in blossom we are going to 
examine the flowers of plums and apples. We make 
drawings of the things studied in our Nature Study 
note books. 

Occasionally we have our Nature Study lesson out- 
doors in the form of a Nature Study excursion. Last 
fall we had two such lessons. We had another last week 
and shall likely have another before school closes in 
June. They are exploring expeditions to make ourselves 
well acquainted with our neighborhood. 



OUR NATURE STUDY EXCURSION 97 

Our school is located near a cross-road. Last fall 
we made one trip up past Rankin's as far as the church, 
and one in the opposite direction down to Mr. Collyer's 
orchard. No! Not to steal apples, but to learn what 
we could from Mr. Collyer about his methods of grow- 
ing, packing, and shipping apples. 

Last Friday afternoon our excursion was along the 
River Road to Wells' Woods. Every one had looked 
forward to the outing all the week. We hoped for a 
fine day, and we were not disappointed. The air was 
warm, the sun was bright, the birds were singing, and 
the trees were bursting into green. It was really too 
fine a day to stay in a stupid school house. All out- 
doors seemed to be calling to us. 

Before starting, Miss Baldwin gave us our instruc- 
tions. 

"This afternoon," she said, "we are going out to see 
what we can see and learn what we can learn about our 
neighborhood between the school and Wells' Woods, 
and also to make a study of those woods. 

"I want you all to have the very happiest of good 
times, but at the same time to remember that you are 
still at school though you are not in school. 

"We shall have three reviews. First, at Morrison's 
gate; second, at the bridge; and third, after our ex- 
ploration of the woods. Mrs. Steele is to join us at 
Morrison's. 

"The pupils of the four highest grades will make care- 
ful observations for recording on an Exploration Map. 

"These are some of the things for which you might 
keep your eyes open: (i) the farms you pass; (2) the 
location of farm buildings, lanes, and orchards as seen 



98 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

from the road; (3) the work being done in the fields; (4) 
the trees along the roads; (5) anything else of particular 
note. 

"We shall take about twenty minutes for our trip to 
the first stopping place. I will call you together at 
Morrison's gate at twenty minutes past two." 

Hurrah! Away we went in groups, chatting and 
romping, but at the same time noting things as we went 
along. The twenty minutes passed quickly. Some 
had gone past Morrison's gate and some were straggHng 
behind. Miss Baldwin blew her whistle, and we all 
came together. Then we reported our observations. 

Will Hood gave the names of the farmers living on 
both sides of the road in their proper order. Alice Wat- 
son located the lanes and buildings. She made a few 
mistakes in this, but these were corrected. Tom Kirby 
explained what work was being done in the fields but he 
had not seen everything. He had failed to notice Mrs. 
Walters working in her garden. Six different kinds of 
trees were reported by Ethel Passmore and myself. One 
of the boys had noted the different kinds of fences; 
another observed the positions of the milkstands and 
letter boxes. 

From Morrison's gate it was only a ten minutes' walk 
to the bridge. There we made an examination to see 
how the bridge was constructed. Some of the boys 
stepped off one hundred feet up the side of the stream 
and threw in sticks. The time that the sticks took to 
float down to the bridge was noted on Miss Baldwin's 
watch. As the rate was faster in the middle than at 
the sides we took an average. The average depth of the 
water was found, too, by putting down a pole at differ- 




Face p. q8 



Forest of Mixed Hardwoods 




Raising Young Forest Trees 
Wisconsin State Forest Nursery 




A Well-Managed Forest 
Brush piled to prevent fire 



OUR NATURE STUDY EXCURSION 99 

ent places. This week for an arithmetic problem we 
figured out how much water was flowing under the bridge 
in an hour. It was surprisingly large. 

Then we received our instructions for the studies in 
Wells' Woods. The older pupils were to make a sur- 
vey of the trees. The younger pupils were to gather 
flowers. Tom Kirby and Harold B lodge tt were ap- 
pointed leaders of the boys' group, and Miss Baldwin 
and Mrs. Steele acted as leaders for the girls. The woods 
are not very large, nor are they very dense. They are 
about the nicest woods in the neighborhood, but they 
are only the remains of the fine forest that used to cover 
the land. Some fair-sized trees are still standing, but 
many have been cut down or blown over in recent years. 
Unless the cattle are kept out and the next growth pro- 
tected, the woods will soon be a thing of the past, and 
future pupils at Hillcrest School will have no chance to 
use them as a Nature Study. 

The instructions were as follows: 

First, we were all to estimate the acreage in the woods. 

Second, the boys were to calculate roughly the number 
of trees by counting those in a number of plots ten yards 
square and multiplying. 

Third, the girls were to measure, as nearly as they 
could by spanning, the circumference of the largest trees. 

Fourth, any one who found a suitable stump was to 
count the rings to find how old the tree was when cut 
down. 

Fifth, we all were to find out how many species of 
trees were represented in the woods. If we found any 
that we were not sure of we were to bring back leaves 
and twigs for examination. 



lOO 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



"Be ready to come together again in about forty 
minutes, here at this corner of the woods nearest the 
bridge," said Miss Baldwin. "I will blow my whistle 
for you." 

Away the boys scampered. Shouts could be heard 
soon from all directions. It was a noisy study. There 
was a little rivalry between the groups to see who could 








-r ^' 












In Wells' Woods 



find the largest tree, or the stump of the oldest. The 
httle fellows had a hard time keeping up with such big 
fellows as Tom Kirby and Will Hood. The girls did not 
do as much shouting or running about as the boys did, 
but they enjoyed themselves just as much. Mrs. Steele 
was able to tell us a great deal about the things we found. 
She has always been a great nature lover. 

The whistle blew too soon. It took quite a while 
to bring all the boys back. Some were off in the farthest 



OUR NATURE STUDY EXCURSION loi 

corner and had to be sent for. When we were all com- 
fortably seated, Miss Baldwin asked for reports on the 
different matters investigated. 

Different figures were given for the dimensions of the 
woods. Some of the girls calculated the length as much 
as 200 yards and the width as 160 yards. The older 
boys had closer estimates, and they were fairly sure of 
them. The length was taken as 175 yards and the 
width as 135 yards. This figured out to be between 
four and four and a half acres. 

The number of trees found in an area of 100 square 
yards varied a great deal. Some counted as high as 25 
and some as low as 8. Averaging all the counts that had 
been made, the number was found to be nearly 12. At 
this rate we estimated that there were nearly 2000 
trees in the woods. 

The largest stump that was found was nearly a yard 
across. It was an elm. Counting the rings had been 
somewhat difficult, and there was some difference of 
opinion among the boys who made this study. But the 
tree seemed to have been somewhere about 160 or 180 
years old when it was cut down. Allowing it to be 160 
years, this meant that the tree started to grow in 1750 
— even before there was a United States. A maple 
stump that had a diameter of about 2 feet was over 
100 years old. We realized how long it had taken to 
produce a tree. 

The largest tree standing in the woods was a white elm. 
It was not quite so large as the elm stump. Different 
pupils had spanned it. Dorothy Smith and Stella Steele 
together could just reach around it holding one another's 
hands. It was about 8 feet in circumference and must 



I02 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

have been about 80 feet high. The largest maple 
measured about 6 feet around. 

Making up a Hst of species, we were able to report 
twelve in all. These are the ones that were seen: 



White Elm 


Blue Beech 


Hard Maple 


Beech 


White Maple 


Hemlock 


Black Cherry 


Balsam Fir 


Ironwood 


Basswood 


Hawthorn 


Yellow Birch 



After our reports were made, Mrs. Steele gave us a 
talk on the flowers that the smaller pupils had gathered. 
She explained, too, how important it is that we should 
try to preserve some part of our forests, and not destroy 
them entirely. Then we had another fifteen minutes to 
run around and see some of the things that had been 
mentioned in our review. Before we had time to satisfy 
our curiosity or settle our disputes, the whistle blew, and 
we reluctantly left Wells' Woods. 

The trip back to the school was a jolly one. There 
was racing and chasing and laughing and cheering. 
We did not arrive as large a party as we set out, though. 
Mrs. Steele and Stella left us when they reached their 
gate. We gave them three cheers and sang, "For they 
are jolly good fellows," at parting. Harold and Kathleen 
Blodgett also left us, as did Tom Kirby and his sister 
Martha. The rest of us got back to the school at about 
half-past four, rather dirty and tired, but happy. Miss 
Baldwin was tired, too. It did not take us long to gather 
up our books and set off for home. We were all hungry. 
We took time, however — I mean some of us older 



OUR NATURE STUDY EXCURSION 103 

girls did — to tell Miss Baldwin how we had enjoyed the 
outing, and to thank her for it. 

The following Monday we drew maps to show where 
we had gone and what we had learned. It will be a 
long time before we forget the afternoon spent along the 
River Road and in Wells' Woods. 

Suggestions 

1. Read Kipling's Kim for a story of a boy who became wonderfully 
skillful in observing and picking up knowledge. To test observation and 
memory, try one of the schemes by which he was trained. Expose a num- 
ber of different objects for a few moments and then require lists and de- 
scriptions. 

2. If your class goes on an excursion to the Agricultural College or 
Experiment Station, make a record of the outing by drawing a map and 
marking on it the points of interest that were noted. A list of aU the 
things that were noted, set out in order, makes a good record of the trip. 

3. Should an opportunity offer, arrange for a visit of your class to a 
factory manufacturing agricultural machinery. A suitable record for 
such an educational trip would be a map of the factory, showing the loca- 
tion of the different processes, or some pictures from catalogues showing 
machines that were seen being made. 

4. Profitable Nature Study trips may be arranged for several objects; 
for example, to study weeds along a roadside, a railroad, or in fields; to 
collect flowering plants; to study birds; to collect insects; to study a gravel 
pit or railroad embankment; to visit an orchard, an apiary, a dairy herd, 
a cheese factory, a cider mill, a grist mill, a saw-mill, a maple-sugar bush. 

5. Take advantage of every chance to learn from aU sorts of more or 
less unusual activities carried on in the neighborhood; for example, the 
building of a new bridge; the framing of a barn; the erection of a silo; the 
repairing of the road; the manufacture of cheese or butter; the boring for 
water; the putting in of drains. If figures can be obtained, base arith- 
metic problems on your discoveries. 



CHAPTER XIV 

Our School Garden — How Springwater School Ad- 
vanced Agriculture and Education by a Garden 




In one sense a School Garden does not need to be at a school to be en- 
titled to the name of School Garden. It is not location that makes a gar- 
den a School Garden. It is its purpose. Gardens anywhere from which 
boys and girls are getting part of their education under their teachers' 
direction are School Gardens. 

There are a great many country schools which cannot and should not 
have gardens adjoining them. At such schools the pupils' gardening 
should be carried on in home gardens. There are many country schools 
where there might be successful gardens started. 

A good School Garden at a country school may be the means of teaching 
many valuable lessons in agriculture and of making every one more in- 
terested in the work of the school. 

We had our first School Garden this year. It was 
not a very large garden, but it has been a very impor- 
tant one. I think every one in the neighborhood would 



OUR SCHOOL GARDEN 105 

miss it a great deal if it were discontinued. For it has 
served everybody in some way or other. Nearly every- 
one speaks of it as "Our Garden," 

Before Miss Nelson came to take charge of Spring- 
water School there were no signs of a garden. Except 
for a few neglected trees that had been planted at the 
front of the school about ten years before by a Mr. 
Brooks and the boys of the school who were his pupils 
then, there had been nothing done to improve the grounds. 
They were very bare. They were worse than bare. 
They were untidy and ill-kept. 

No one in the district seemed to take much notice of 
the poor appearance of the school property. I suppose 
the reason was that our people had not begun to think 
very much about making their homes beautiful, and so 
did not think a school needed to be beautiful. But 
Miss Nelson noticed it. I think she was disappointed 
and perhaps homesick, too, for the first week. One could 
hardly blame her. Our school had nothing about it, 
inside or out, to make a new teacher cheerful. 

But we all liked her, and she had a good place to 
board at Mrs. Pierson's. These two things cheered her, 
and the second week she asked us what we thought about 
clearing up the grounds. Of course we were all willing 
to help, and some were enthusiastic. We brought rakes 
from home and Tom Wilkie brought a wheelbarrow, also. 
We were a busy school at recess and noon hour for a 
few days. It was great fun. After we had cleared up 
the yard we made a bonfire of the rubbish. The sur- 
roundings of the school looked a great deal better after 
our efforts. 

This was the beginning of our School Garden. Our 



io6 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

work had made a good impression on the people of the 
district. Through the winter the teacher talked to 
every one about commencing a garden when spring came. 
The trustees gave their consent and promised to help. 
Mr. Cosgrove, who lives alongside the school, offered 
to plow a small piece of land, and to donate some manure 
also. All the pupils were anxious to take part in the 
work. Miss Nelson disc.ussed the garden a good deal 
with us. 

Her plan was to consider the entire school property 
in our School Garden scheme. She thought that the 
school should be considered as a home, and the flower- 
growing part of the school gardening work done as it 
might be done at one's home. This is the way she looked 
at it: She said, "Here is our school-home. Let us make 
it attractive. It should be a beauty-spot for the whole 
neighborhood. By working together we can make it 
that." 

As for the other branch of the garden scheme, she 
thought it should be for teaching lessons on agriculture. 
She said, "Here is a piece of land set aside for the edu- 
cation of people who make their living by farming. 
Part of the land is for a school building. A larger part 
of it is to be used for play. Let us use a small part of 
the land for a Httle 'Experimental Farm'." 

So we made our plans accordingly. On either side of 
the walk leading up to the school we planned a flower 
bed to hide some of the bareness of the front of the 
school house. A flower bed for each side of the door was 
planned also. The roadside at the front of the school 
was to be levelled and kept trimmed. Vines to screen 
the woodshed and outbuildings were to be set out. In 



OUR SCHOOL GARDEN 107 

the "Experimental Farm" part of the garden, a few 
simple experiments and demonstrations were chosen. 

We had help in our planning from the Agricultural 
College. Miss Nelson wrote telling of her scheme, and 
received in reply a bulletin which contained many good 
suggestions. There was also an offer of seed for flower 
beds as well as for the experimental plots. As our 
garden was small, there were really more kinds of seed 
offered to us than were needed at the school. It was 
arranged, therefore, to divide it up and use it in home 
plots. The man who sent the seed from the college said 
this was the way they would like to have us use it. 

We had a busy time getting our garden prepared and 
planted. As he had promised, Mr. Cosgrove plowed 
the ground for us. He hauled over a good load of barn- 
yard manure and spread it thickly • before plowing. 
Then he harrowed it for us. Even after that there was 
a lot of hand -raking to be done to get the soil fine enough 
to suit Miss Nelson. There were also a lot of stones to 
rake up and remove. We worked hard and by May 
10 had all the seed planted and everything looking 
fine. We made the plots a square rod or a half square 
rod in area. The corners were marked with stakes. 

To manage the garden there was a Garden Committee. 
This committee was composed of the captains, who 
were responsible for seeing that everything was properly 
looked after. The boys of the 7th and 8th Grades had 
charge of the field crop experiments, and Gordon Cos- 
grove was captain. The girls of these two grades had 
the experiments on vegetables to look after, with Nora 
Stevens the captain. The girls of the 5th and 6th Grades 
had charge of the flower beds, with Emma Douglas the 



io8 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 




captain. The boys of these grades were to keep the road- 
sides and grounds tidy, and to help in the work generally. 
Donald Cadger was their captain. The small boys and 

girls in the lower 
classes were given small 
plots of flowers and 
vegetables, and Miss 
i^ -^^ ^^[f^ Vl/'Tfe Nelson worked with 

them especially. 

Some of the experi- 
ments were very inter- 
esting. Tom Wilkie 
and Alec Douglas had 
a contest to see who 
could produce the best 

crop of potatoes on 
Samples of Alfalfa Plants Grown from ^j^^-^ j^^jf ^^^ ^^^^ 

Untreated and Treated Seed , . , „ . 

used exactly 2f lbs. of 

the best seed potatoes that he could select at home. 

Tom had Green Mountain, and Alec had Empire State 

potatoes. 

Robert Murdock and Dave Wilkie had the plot for dem- 
onstrating the different kinds of Legumes. There were 
rows of red clover, white Dutch clover, crimson clover, 
alsike, peas, vetches, cow peas, beans, peanuts, soy 
beans, and alfalfa. All these were sent from the Agri- 
cultural College. 

Henry Cadger and WilHam Cavanagh had the over- 
sight of an experiment with alfalfa. One half of the 
plot was sown with seed that had been sprinkled with 
"culture" sent in a bottle from the College, and the 
other half of the plot with seed that wasn't treated. 



OUR SCHOOL GARDEN 



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no RURAL SCIENCE READER 

The experiment with corn was to compare the growth 
and yield from the same number of stalks of a dent 
and of a flint corn. Will Bryce brought the best sam- 
ple of dent corn he could get for this, and Walter 
Johnston selected some of their good flint corn for his 
part of the comparison. 

One of the vegetable plots was used for growing vege- 
tables that were new or seldom grown. There were sage, 
summer savory, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, and kohl- 
rabi grown in this. Nearly everybody in the district 
received samples of the last three. The sage and sum- 
mer savory were distributed wherever any one wanted 
a supply for winter. 

Another vegetable plot was used for lettuce and onions. 
The lettuce were grown in different ways. Different 
varieties of onions were compared. We had printed 
forms on which to keep records for these. 

The flowers grew well and were very pretty. People 
used to come from a long distance to look at the garden. 
Nothing was ever molested. Every one seemed to under- 
stand that our effort was deserving of encouragement. 
We distributed the flowers wherever we thought people 
would appreciate them. Old Mrs. Murdock, Robert's 
grandmother, got a bouquet every week. There was 
always a bouquet for the church and the Sunday school, 
as well as for any one who was sick. 

There was no trouble in looking after the garden in 
the summer vacation. Before school closed a plan was 
drawn up for certain groups to come every Saturday 
afternoon for a short time. Generally some of our 
mothers would come with us, and we would have a good 
time for an hour or two working and playing. Some of 



OUR SCHOOL GARDEN ill 

US would write a card to Miss Nelson nearly every week 
to let her know how the garden was progressing. 

The results of our experiments were reported in the 
local paper printed at Aylmer. They were explained to 
our guests at our school fair also. The result of the 
alfalfa experiment was quite a surprise to most people. 
Tom Wilkie had ten pounds more of Green Mountain 
potatoes than Alec Douglas had of Empire State. Will 
Bryce's dent corn grew higher and had a greater yield 
than the flint. The plots we had at home in most cases 
were a success also. 

The ground has been well fertilized and prepared now 
for this year. In the flower beds at the front of the 
school we have some tulips, crocuses, and daffodils. 
I think we can have even a better garden than we 
had this year. We are already planning for it. One of 
our schemes is to have a bed of strawberries. We are 
going to grow more flowers, too, of different kinds, and 
distribute the little plants to any one who wishes to 
grow them at home. 

We have had many interesting lessons from our garden 
experiences. The trustees are interested, and are going 
to put up a new fence in the spring. They seem anxious 
to encourage Miss Nelson to make our school better in 
every way. Next year we hope to join the United States 
School Garden army, which has done so much for gar- 
dening. 

Suggestions 

I. Join the School Garden Association of America. Send your sub- 
scription, $1, to Mr. John L. Randall, Bureau of Education, Washington, 
D.C. This entitles you to a little monthly magazine called Outdoor Edu- 
cation, which tells of school garden work in the United States and Canada. 



112 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

2. Grow things in the garden for the use of the school lunch. A straw- 
berry bed might be established. Tomatoes can be grown and canned for 
use in winter months for tomato soup. Radishes, tomatoes, onions, cu- 
cumbers, and lettuce are generally relished for the noonday meal. 

3. To raise money for patriotic purposes, for the purchase of library 
books, play equipment, garden tools, pictures for the school, or to pay 
part of the expenses of a school excursion to the Experiment Station, garden 
produce should be sold throughout the season. At the school fair an 
auction sale might be held. 

4. Do not commence a school garden unless there can be an assurance 
of its being a success. A school garden that is a failure because of being 
started without the proper interest and knowledge, or from being located 
on poor soil, from neglect in holidays, from destruction by people who 
oppose it, from lack of proper fences and other protection, does the school 
gardening cause more harm than good. Prepare for a garden carefully 
and a long time ahead, plan wisely and secure every one's interest and 
cooperation, have it supervised carefully, and in the fall well prepared for 
the next year. 

In the Southern States winter gardens may be successfully conducted 
while the school is in session. If it is not possible to have the garden well 
looked after during the summer vacation, early vegetables may be planted 
and harvested before holidays. 

5. Make the garden serve the interests of the neighborhood as well 
as provide practical education for pupils. These are some of the things 
that might be done: Make it part of the scheme of beautifying the school 
property; send flowers to the church and Sunday school, to invalids and 
old people; distribute new kinds of vegetables. Grow seed of beets, lettuce, 
carrots, spinach, etc., for local gardeners; in a hot-bed grow cabbage, 
tomato, and other plants to sell, grow flower seedlings, such as asters, 
columbine, and foxglove to give to people; divide overgrown rootclumps 
of iris, peony, goldenglow, etc., from the perennial border among the pupils 
for their home gardens; have experimental plots to test fertilizers, to com- 
pare local grains, to demonstrate different varieties of vegetables and 
field crops. 



CHAPTER XV 

Our Bird Club — The Story of the Bluebird Club at 
Greenbush School 




The little Hiawatha 
Learned of every bird its language, 
Learned their names and all their secrets, 
How they built their nests in summer, 
Where they hid themselves in winter. 
Talked with them whene'er he met them 
Called them Hiawatha's Chickens. 

— From The Song of Hiawatha by Longfellow 

In the great book of Out-of-Doors, there is no more dehghtful chapter 
than that on Birds. For every one who has eyes to see and ears to hear, 
there are many happy pages to study. 

What fine opportunities country boys and girls have to learn about 
birds! They are truly to be envied. And because birds play such an 
important part in destrojdng the enemies of the farmer's crops, how im- 
portant it is that these opportunities should not be lost in school days. 



Organize a Bird Club. 



"3 



114 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

I have been asked to tell you about the Bluebird 
Club in Greenbush School. It gives me much pleasure 
to do so, for we have found our Club to be a great delight 
in our school life. 

I cannot tell you exactly when the idea of the Club 
first took shape. It seemed to grow from the bird 
studies which Miss Lathrop introduced into the school 
work when she began to teach here the year before last. 
On Friday afternoons when the reports on our bird ob- 
servations were made, the pupils would come to the plat- 
form and tell what they had seen or read during the week. 
Sometimes the teacher would ask one of the boys to act 
as chairman. This continued during two terms. After 
the summer vacation last year Miss Lathrop suggested 
that we have a club. She had heard about school Bird 
Clubs when she was at the Teachers' Summer School 
at the State Agricultural College. All the pupils were 
interested in birds and fell in with the idea readily, as 
they had learned by that time that Miss Lathrop's 
suggestions were generally good ones. She asked the 
school to name two pupils to help her in making plans. 
Ralph Haight and I were chosen for this. 

We waited until after four o'clock and Miss Lathrop told 
us a Httle about how the clubs were carried on in other 
schools. She explained the need of having a clear plan 
set down in a "Constitution." It was arranged that 
Ralph should speak to Mr. Merritt, the minister, and 
get his advice, as he is a lover of birds and very much 
interested in our school as well; while I was to discuss 
the matter with my father and get him to explain to 
me the Constitution and By-Laws of the Farmer's Club 
that was formed in this district a year ago. Miss Lathrop 




Can You Name These Birds? 




Face p. 11$ 



Some Common Birds 



OUR BIRD CLUB 115 

thought it would be better to work out a constitution 
for ourselves rather than to copy one exactly. In a 
few days Ralph and I had our information ready. Mr. 
Merritt had lent Ralph a good book that told about clubs 
and what good work they were doing in many parts of 
the country. Father, who is secretary of the Farmer's 
Club, gave me some good suggestions about conducting 
meetings and keeping minutes. He also gave me a copy 
of the Constitution and By-Laws to use as a guide. 

We had another meeting with Miss Lathrop, and with 
her help wrote out the Constitution, By-Laws, and 
Order of Business. The next morning this was put on 
the school bulletin board, and Miss Lathrop explained 
that on the following Friday the school would consider 
it and elect officers. Every one was interested. It 
was fun watching the pupils reading it at noon and recess 
and hearing them talk about "Our Bird Club." When 
Friday afternoon came the Club was organized, the 
consitution adopted, and officers elected. Ralph Haight 
was made president, Lena Jensen, vice-president, Willie 
Langdon, the hbrarian. Miss Lathrop the general mana- 
ger and myself the secretary-treasurer. 

I am afraid I would be making my letter altogether 
too long if I were to tell you of all the different things 
our Club has done or learned at its meetings, or if I were 
to confess to you all the things we plan to do. But I 
will tell you of some of the things which seemed to me 
the best. 

We joined our Club to the National Association of 
Audubon Societies as a Junior Audubon Club and re- 
ceived great help. It cost only ten cents for each mem- 
ber of our Club, and for that every one received a Bird 



ii6 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



Club button and eight beautiful colored bird pictures, 
with leaflets explaining about the birds, and a printed 
outline drawing of each bird to be colored in our draw- 
ing lessons. 

Besides these the Club received a copy of the Asso- 
ciation's Magazine called Bird Lore. In this one learns 

of what great importance 
birds are and how govern- 
ments and societies are 
working to protect them. 
Sometimes there are letters 
in it from schools, and we 
sent one telling about our 
Club and its work. When 
this appeared in print we 
were very proud, and more 
proud afterwards. per haps, 
when we received letters 
froni other schools. After 
the magazine has been in 
the school two weeks, 
the Club allows pupils 
to take it home over night. 

Our meetings have been very enjoyable. In the winter 
months there is a meeting every four weeks, but in the 
fall and spring a meeting is held, as a rule, every two 
weeks. They are held Friday afternoons from three 
to four o'clock. All the associate members are in- 
vited to the meetings, of course, as required by the 
Constitution, and you would be surprised to see how 
many people attend. One day we had ten visitors, eight 
women and two men. Usually we have two or three. 




OUR BIRD CLUB 117 

Mr. Smith, who must be nearly seventy years old, 
has never missed a meeting. He says it helps to keep 
him young. He is a fine whistler and can imitate several 
birds' songs and calls. You would be amused to see us all 
puckering our mouths and whistUng together under his 
leadership. It is good fun. 

When the weather is suitable we hold our meetings 
outdoors under the big elm tree at the front of the school, 
for Miss Lathrop says, "Shut in Bird Clubs are just as 
unnatural as caged wild birds." One meeting in the 
fall and another in the spring takes the form of a "bird 
tramp" to the woods. Our minister, Mr. Merritt, 
attends most of the meetings and has given us two talks 
— once on "Birds of the Bible" and the other time on 
"Birds of Other Lands!" They were very interesting. 
Whenever he comes we appoint him critic, and he ad- 
vises us about our mistakes in pronunciation or grammar. 
He is fine, I think every boy and girl in the school, 
from nine years up at least, is learning to be a good 
speaker, and the officers of the Club are learning how to 
conduct meetings. I think I have learned most as 
secretary. 

That part of our work managed by Willie Langdon is 
well done. He is a hustler. He keeps every one help- 
ing him to report the birds regularly on the bird charts 
or to supply pictures and newspaper cuttings for the bul- 
letin board. We have an interesting scrap-book started 
now with the best of the pictures and cuttings. The 
kiddies in the third and fourth grades help in making 
this. Our bird Hbrary is growing. Mr. Merritt gave 
us a copy of the Color Key to North American Birds, and 
with $5 voted by the trustees and money raised at 



Il8 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

our school concert before Christmas we bought three 
Audubon Bird Charts and three bird books that were 
recommended. We plan to get two new books every 
year. Be sure to get Bayne's Wild Bird Guests and 
Patteson's How to Have Bird Neighbors. Of course we 
have all the bulletins printed by the Department of 
Agriculture at Washington and our own State Depart- 
ment. 

Books and bulletins are well looked after by Willie 
Langdon. He made a little bookcase for them out of a 
soap box which he cut down and covered with a pretty 
wall-paper. This is fastened on the wall at the back of 
the school, by the side of the bulletin board. The books 
and bulletins may be taken home over night. Every one 
seems to be anxious to help Willie to keep everything 
in good order. The books are beginning to look worn, 
but they are not damaged. And it is surprising how 
often they are taken down during the day, for we have 
a rule in the school that when seat work has been finished 
a pupil may take a book from the Ubrary to read. 

I must bring this letter to a close. It is too long al- 
ready, though I haven't said anything about our plans 
for making bird houses, setting up a feeding station at 
the school, issuing a journal, or preparing a "Bird Drama " 
for our closing next June. Perhaps you know of such 
undertakings already, or perhaps you have worked 
them out at your school. We would like to hear from 
you sometime about your bird studies. 

I am sending a copy of our Club Constitution and 
By-Laws. If you haven't formed a club yet and plan 
to do so you may find them useful. Of course you can 
get along without these, but it seems business-Hke to 



OUR BIRD CLUB 119 

have them as a sort of foundation. But at any rate 
don't forget to join the Audubon Society. You should 
not have much trouble in getting money for the treasury. 
We have twenty associate members who joined, and three 
of them paid a dollar instead of the twenty-five cents 
required by the constitution. Every one seems to be 
pleased with the work of the Greenbush Bird Club. 

Constitution 

Article I 
Name: The name of this organization shall be "The Bluebird Club." 

Article II 

Colors: The badge of the Club shall be blue and brown ribbons represent- 
ing the colors of the Blue Bird and indicating happiness in our work 
and loyalty to our cause. 

Article III 

Purposes: The purposes of the Club shall be the increase and protection 
of our local wild birds, the stimulation of interest in bird life, and the 
estabhshing of bird homes, bird baths, and feeding stations. 

Article IV 

Membership: (i) The membership of this Club shall consist of Active 
Members and Associate Members. 

(2) Any pupil of the school may be an Active Member on payment 
of a fee of five cents for pupils below the sixth grade and ten cents for 
pupils in the sixth or higher grades. 

(3) Any other person in sympathy with the objects of the Club may 
become an Associate Member on payment of a fee of twenty-five cents. 

(4) The voting power shall be limited to the Active Members. 

Article V 

Officers: (i) The officers of the Club shall consist of a President, a Vice- 
President, a Secretary-Treasurer, a Librarian, and a General Manager. 
(2) The Librarian shall take charge of the bird books belonging to 



I20 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

the Club, keep bird pictures posted on the bulletin board, and have 
oversight of the making of Bird Charts by the school. 

(3) The General Manager shall be an adult person and shall have 
oversight over all the work of the Club. 

(4) There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers 
mentioned above and the Chief Editor of the Club's journal, when 
such is issued. 

Article VI 
Journal: (i) A Club Journal may be edited. 

(2) The Editors shall be chosen from the Active Members 

(3) The name of the Journal shall be The Winged Messenger. It 
shall be issued once only in each half year. 

Article VII 

Affiliations: (i) The Club may affiUate with the National Association of 
Audubon Societies as a Junior Audubon Club. 

(2) The fees of the members may be used for joining the Audubon 
Society and securing the bird pictures, magazines, and buttons. 

By-Laws 

(i) The officers shall be elected half-yearly as soon as convenient after 
the school openings in September and January. 

(2) The membership fee shall be payable once only during the school 
year. 

(3) Meetings shall be held Friday afternoons or at other suitable times 
as arranged by the Executive Committee. 

(4) Every active member shall join in some part of the work under- 
taken by the Club. 

(5) Associate Members shall be invited to Club meetings and to take 
part in the program. , 

(6) The Executive Committee may expend the funds of the Club for 
the purchase of bird books, pictures, charts, bird baths, etc., for member- 
ship fees in the Audubon Society, or in any way that will promote the 
objects of the Club. 

(7) The Order of Business to be followed at regular meetings shall be as 
follows: 

Order of Business 
(i) Reading of minutes. 

(2) Communications. 

(3) Reports of Committees and New Business. 

(4) Election of officers (first meetings in September and January). 



OUR BIRD CLUB I2i 

(5) Program: (i) Reports on bird observations by individual members. 

(2) Debate, paper, or address. 

(3) Discussion on paper or address. 

Suggestions 

1. For some of the school entertainments prepare a simple Bird Play- 
to show the beauty and value of bird life and the necessity of conserving it. 
Give bird songs also. Perhaps some of the pupils can whistle imitations 
of bird songs as part of the entertainment. 

2. Exchange reports on bird observations with Bird Clubs in other 
schools. Send contributions to the local newspaper on the work of the 
club and on the bird life observed in the neighborhood. 

3. Attract the birds about the school by protecting them, putting up 
feeding trays, bird boxes, drinking fountains, suet boards, etc. Berry- 
bearing shrubbery planted in cliunps makes acceptable cover. Destroy 
the nests of the house sparrows as they are building. 

4. For prizes for the best bird boxes, essays on bird life, or for compe- 
titions at school fairs, award copies of books on birds, subscriptions to 
Bird Lore, or field glasses. Reed's Bird Guide, Part 2, is a very suitable 
book for a Christmas or birthday gift to any one interested in birds. 

5. Arrange for some one to give a lantern lecture on birds in the school. 
Colored lantern shdes can be borrowed from the Audubon Society for this 
piu-pose, address, 1984 Broadway, New York City. Interest the general 
public in birds by making a display in the window of the village store Gr 
post ofi&ce of bird boxes, bird pictures, old bird nests, etc. 

6. Use your influence to discourage the destruction of useful birds. 
Make yourselves acquainted with the law of the state which protects birds. 
If boys or others persist in hunting, see that they keep within the law and 
kill only house sparrows, cow birds, crows, and homeless marauding cats. 
Do not encourage any one to make collections of birds' eggs unless it is done 
with the greatest care and for scientific purposes by responsible people. 
Bird-nest collection should be restricted to old nests. 

7. For purposes of comparison keep records of the first arrival of the 
common birds in the spring. Make these records on a large sheet of heavy 
manila paper ruled into columns for the different years. For example: 

First Appearances of Birds Reported at Greenbush School 

Bird 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 

Robin Apr. 5th Mar. 20th Mar. i6th Apr. ist Mar. i6th 

The name of the pupil making the report may be put down in small 
letters under the date. 



CHAPTER XVI 

Our Noon-Day Lunch — The Indian Road School Or- 
ganizes a Practical Domestic Science Course 

Noon hour at country schools! While its main purpose may be for 
eating one's lunch, it is no less important for rest and play, or for an ex- 
change of the neighborhood news. Diligent ones may use it for study or 
reading, but no one ever thinks the hour goes slowly. Isn't it the best 
hour of the school day? 

Going to school makes one hungry. Tom Brown may not have much 
of an appetite for spelling; and a very httle arithmetic, especiall}' if it has 
fractions in it, may satisfy him. But Tom always has a good appetite for 
his lunch, and he needs plenty of good food to appease it. For Tom is 
growing, and Tom is active — except when he is asleep. The lunch basket 
is a very important part of Tom's school equipment and Tom's sister Mary 
likes a good lunch, too. 

Blessings on the mothers who put up good school lunches! 

I think the interest in our Noon-Day Lunch grew out 
of the bread-making contest for our school fair. In 
preparation for the event, Miss Harris, our teacher, 
asked all the girls in the school who planned to bake to 
find out all they could about bread-making by reading and 
inquiries at home. Then we discussed the matter at 
school, and Miss Harris gave us what she considered the 
best recipe. Every one was interested, and after the 
fair we continued to take up a recipe for something 
every week. We called ourselves the Homemakers' 
Club. Every Friday afternoon we reported on our ex- 
periences, and Miss Harris would give us a new recipe 
and explain clearly what we were to do. Most of us 



OUR NOON-DAY LUNCH 



123 



tried our new recipes on Saturdays. We have had scal- 
loped potatoes nearly every Saturday for supper since 
I learned to make this dish. It is a great favorite at 
our home. 

All this interest in cooking led to "treats" being brought 
to school by different girls. Miss Harris encouraged 
the idea, and with our 
mothers' consent we 
took turns. Nellie 
Morris brought cheese 
sandwiches one time 
and a salad containing 
celery and apples 
another time. Katie 
Hodgins brought ginger- 
bread for one of her 
donations and date 
cookies for another. 
One of my contributions 
was oatmeal cookies and 
another a big dish of 

scalloped potatoes which we warmed on the school stove. 
Every one enjoyed the treats. Our committee arranged 
them as a rule for Tuesdays and Fridays. One day Mrs. 
Andrews, who lives near the school, sent over a lot of hot 
potato scones at noon. That was a rare day. She said 
it was Jim's treat. 

A short time after school opened, following Christmas 
holidays, we had an unexpected lesson on food-saving. 
Mr. Cook, the County Superintendent, was the one who 
gave us the lesson. Just before the school was dismissed 
for noon, he puzzled us all by telHng us that he had 




Preparing Lunch 




124 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

picked up something on the walk when he came in to 
the school that was very valuable. He thought it was 
something that had belonged to some of us. 

"Did anybody lose anything yesterday?" he asked. 
We looked at one another. Nobody seemed to have 
lost anything. "It is very valuable," 
he said. "In fact it's one of the most 
precious things in the world to-day." 
"Was it somebody's purse with 
money in it?" some of us asked 
ourselves. 

"I have it in my pocket," he de- 
clared. "It's good to eat. Can't 
you guess?" 

"Yes. Bread!" almost shouted Jim Andrews. 
"Correct" said Mr. Cook. "Just bread," and he 
took out of his pocket, a thick half-slice of bread show- 
ing where one large bite had been taken. 

Well, most of us thought Mr. Cook was joking, and 
we laughed. It was really funny to see the shape of that 
huge bite. But Mr. Cook wasn't joking. He was very 
serious. He told us how the boys and girls of Belgium 
were starving and how short of food our Alhes in France, 
in Italy, and in Britain were. He explained the need of 
every person in our country saving wheat in order that 
our own soldiers might be well fed and our brave Alhes 
kept in the fight. 

Then he went on to tell what was lost when a piece of 
bread hke that he had in his hand was thrown away. 
It was not only that it might feed some one who was 
starving, but it was waste of all the labor that had been 
used by the farmer who had grown the wheat, the team- 



OUR NOON-DAY LUNCH 



125 



sters and the trainmen who had brought it to market, 
the miller who had made the flour, and the baker who had 
baked the bread. 

"And besides," he said, "wasting weakens character. 
Think, and don't waste." Then he advised us to look 
about the school and gather every scrap that had been 
thrown away during the last few days and take them 
home for the chickens. "Far better that, than spoiling 
on the road or around the school," he said, "but better 
still, eat every crumb. Every good citizen will answer 
his country's call to save food." 

I can assure you that our school is careful now. It 
is amusing to see some of the boys bring back one of their 
number to make him eat the crumbs that he has left. 
And the school and ^, 



grounds are a great 
deal tidier on 
account of our new 
habit. 

About February, 
our occasional 
treats gave place 
to a hot dish every 
day. Our mothers 
liked Miss Harris' 
lessons on cooking for us so much that some one sug- 
gested something hot might be prepared for our lunch. 
The Home-makers' Club became, for the time being, 
a Warm Food Club, and our committee, with the help 
of the teacher, drew up a lunch plan every week. Each 
family took turns in sending something that could be 
warmed. 




Our Lunch Cupboard 



126 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

The school stove had a Hd on the top that allowed a 
dish to be set in. Each pupil had a cup, a soup plate, 
and a spoon. The cups and plates were of enamelware 
and all the same pattern. We bought them by clubbing 
together. In addition, we bought with some of our 
Christmas concert money, a kettle for heating water, a 
dish pan, a sauce pan, some towels, soap, and salt and 
pepper dishes. Hugh Hodgins made a cupboard out of 
a box for keeping all the dishes in. The boys helped 
in washing and drying the dishes. The girls in turn 
took the towels home to be washed. 

Eating our noon-day meal together became very pleas- 
ant. We were more Hke a family than we used to be. 
After every one finished. Miss Harris, or one of the older 
pupils whom she chose, read us a chapter out of a book, 
Hke The Little Princess, or sometimes jokes from a paper. 
Then we tidied up and the committee for the day washed 
the dishes and put them away. Our favorite hot dish, 
I think, was tomato soup. It was lucky that nearly 
every family in the neighborhood canned their own 
tomatoes. Cream of potato soup was another favorite. 
Boiled rice with lots of raisins in it was another well- 
Uked dish. When the warm weather came in March, 
we gave up the hot noon dishes as we did not usually 
have a fire in the stove. 

For next year, our school has planned further develop- 
ments. In June, Miss Pierce, one of the women lec- 
turers who work for the Agricultural College, gave a talk 
and demonstration on School Lunches before the Women's 
Club of our district. She showed how to wrap up lunches 
the best way with paraffine paper, and gave many sug- 
gestions for the different kinds of foods to use. We are 



OUR NOON-DAY LUNCH 127 

going to have a two-burner oil stove and some more 
dishes. These will be bought by the Club. Arrange- 
ments are being made also by the trustees to have shelves 
with divisions, built at the back of the school for holding 
our lunch baskets and pails. We have never had any 
proper place for keeping these up to the present. The 
pupils would hang them on the coat hooks or put them on 
the floor. It didn't look very tidy, and sometimes there 
was trouble when a basket or pail would be upset. With 
our new cupboards our school should look much neater 
next fall. And with our new stove and the new plans, 
our noon-day lunches at the Indian Road School should 
be even better next year than they have been this year. 
And that is saying a good deal. 



Suggestions 

1. Send for Farmers' Bulletin No. 712 on School Lunches. 

2. Ask your mother and father to tell you of the dinners they took 
to school in their school da3^s and how they spent the noon hour. Is the 
little dinner-basket that they used still about the old homestead? 

3. Give prizes for the best School Lunches at your School Fair or County 
Fair. In Judging, the following score might .be used; Box or container, 
10; wrapping, 10; attractiveness, 10; simplicity, 10; economy, 10; cook- 
ing, 25; suitability of food, 25. 

4. Take a vote among the pupils to find out what things are most fa- 
vored for their lunches, or ask each to write down their preferences in 
order, and then estimate by points, for example, giving three points for 
first choice, two for second choice, and one for third choice. 

5. Organize a Housekeeping Club among the girls at your school. 
Discuss cooking recipes at Friday afternoon meetings and test them at 
home on Saturday or during the following week. Invite the mothers of 
some of the pupils to give talks on baking, canning, cleaning, etc. Make 
a School District Cook Book for the School Library, inserting the favorite 
dishes of the homes of the neighborhood. Take a magazine such as Good 
Housekeeping for the school. Put up plans of houses, etc., on the school 



128 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

bulletin board. Make a "joke book" of the funny stories told about 
blunders in cooking. 

6. Arrange for a cupboard or special shelves on which to keep your 
dinner-pails or baskets. Insist on everything being kept scrupulously 
clean and protected from the dust. AU pupils should be required to wash 
their hands before eating. 

Have your School Committee, whose duty it is to see that the school and 
grounds are kept neat and clean, insist on all crusts being taken home or 
saved, all loose paper used for wrapping lunches burned, and nothing left 
around to attract flies. 

In some schools a small charge is made to cover the cost of supplies, such 
as cocoa, sugar, milk, and butter. This saves the trouble of arranging daily 
for contributions from different homes. 



CHAPTER XVII 

Our Music — Sunnydale School Develops its Musi- 
cal Abilities 




The country is the natural home of music. It sounds in the trees and 
winds ; it ripples in waving grain fields and in running brooks ; it is heard 
in the songs of birds, in the hum of insects, and in the lowing of the cattle. 

Some one has said, " Let me make the songs of a people, I care not who 
makes their laws." Just think, good music may bring happiness and peace 
and prosperity, as well as good laws may ! 

Country people have a great possession within their reach in music. 
Happy are the people with songs in their hearts. 

This is the story of a school that served its neighborhood well in this 
respect. 



I do not know how our Sunnydale district compares 
with others, but it seems to be very musical. Probably 
this is the result of the old singing school. One day 
at school we counted the instruments owned in the 



I30 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

neighborhood and were surprised at the number. There 
are six pianos, seven organs, twelve phonographs, and 
five fiddles, besides two autoharps, and odds and ends 
of concertinas, flutes, and mouth organs. And there 
are people who can play these instruments too — I 
don't mean the phonographs. At the Sims' home every 
one in the family plays the piano. Mr. Sims' does not 
play by note, but he can play chords for any tune. He 
plays the fiddle and concertina also. He seems to have 
a natural ear for music, as the sa>dng is. 

Besides the interest in the music played on instruments, 
there is great interest in singing. We have a very good 
choir at our Httle country church. Mrs. Leigh has been 
the leader of it for a great many years. Everybody in 
the congregation sings also. Nor is all the singing done 
on Sundays. Week day singing is common. There's 
hardly an evening that one cannot hear them singing at 
Sims' or Leigh's or Jackson's. Some of the neighbors 
often get together for a "sing" that is very pleasant to 
hear across the fields on a summer evening. So is pho- 
nograph music. 

With music so common in the homes, you can imag- 
ine there is a great deal in the school. We have a 
piano. We have had it for about four years. Before 
we got the piano we had an old-fashioned organ. It 
was pretty wheezy towards the last. It had been in the 
school and used a great deal, too — for about twenty years. 
The piano dealer allowed us only $20 for it. We paid 
for the piano in one year. The trustees voted us $50, 
Mr. Wiltz and Mrs. Morrow gave us $10 each, three 
other people gave us $5 each, and the school concert, 
with smaller subscriptions, brought the sum of $165. 



HOME, SWEET HOME 



John Howabd Payne 



Sir Henry R. Bishop 




^ 



no place like home; A charm from the skies seems to 

thinks of her child, As she looks on that moon from our 
cot - tage a -gain! The birds sing-ing gai - ly that 

N^- 



53 






=i: 



=i: 



t 



r 



^ 



^-h^: 



hal - low us there, Which seek thro' the world, is ne'er 
own cot - tage door. Thro' the wood-bine whose fra- grance shall 
came at my call; Give me them, and that peace of mind; 
Refrain 



m 



-m 



^ 



^ 



:± 



-<^- 



* 



^ 



met with else- where. Home, home, sweet, sweet home; 
cheer me no more, 
dear - er than all. 

=?.^J : 



--f^ 



&tEEf 



g 



Be it ev - er so hum - ble, There's no place like home. 



CHERRY RIPE 



Robert Herrick 




Charles E. Horn 

m — • — m ^ - 



t=^ 



Cher - ry ripe, cher - ry ripe, ripe. 



cry; 




Full and fair ones, come and buy, Cher-ry ripe, cher-ry ripe. 



#— • 



W^^^^^. 



-^ 



±.-t- 



:izit±:-t 



iEfe 



ripe, I cry; 



Full and fair ones, come and buy. 



THE MILLER OF THE DEE 

Old English Air and Words 







'.^^i^iq 



a jol - ly mil - ler once Liv'd on the riv - er 



=|: 



3 



-A- 



t-- 



Dee, 



He work'd and sung from morn till night. No 



F# r. , r 


"n r 


=j=H=p^— f- 


-f— ^^-g-p-: 


^=L^^^ 


— -"=*fi- 


-^-^=^ — y^ -1 — 


— U— U ^--[^ 



lark more blithe than he, . 



And this the bur - den 



P- 



^ 



f-M- 



=t=F 



of 



his song For ev - er used to 



g 



:=t^ 



be, . 



"I 



mi 



S-4^- 



e^EjgzE 



:|= 



S£ 



-g— ^— ti: 



iS- 



care for no-bod - y, no, not I, If no-bod - y cares for me." 



OUR MUSIC 131 

We made up the balance at our picnic in June. It doesn't 
seem to be any trouble to get people to give money for 
something that will improve the school. 

Miss "Williams was our teacher the year we bought 
the piano. She was very fond of music and played the 
piano very well. She taught us a great many songs. 
Ethel Staples and Clara Burns took piano lessons from 
her. They can play simple music very nicely now. 
The school trustees always try to engage a teacher who 
can teach music. We have been very fortunate too. 

Our present teacher, Miss Brodie, is like Miss Williams. 
She pays a good deal of attention to music. We have 
singing several times every day, for just a few minutes 
at a time, to break the monotony of the school work. 
Sometimes it is a marching song, and we march about 
the school. Sometimes it is an action song as we stand in 
the aisle at our desks. Sometimes it is a round Uke 
"Row, row, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream." Some- 
times it is "John Brown had a little Indian." Some- 
times it is from one of the school readers after a lesson. 
Occasionally we vary the singing by whistling a tune. 
At noon, especially on rainy or stormy days, we often 
have what we call a sing-song around the piano. 

On Friday afternoons we always have some music 
on the program that is given between three and four 
o'clock. A committee is appointed each week to ar- 
range for the next week's program. There is a good 
deal of rivalry to see who will have the best afternoon. 
Miss Brodie always helps with suggestions. She likes 
to see us plan original things. And we have had many 
interesting things for music. Perhaps the funniest was 
the first attempt at a whistHng quartet by Fred Leigh, 



132 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Walter Sims, Tom Burns, and Carl Snider. Somebody 
laughed and "Old Black Joe " failed to get past the first 
hne. But the boys weren't beaten. The next week 
•they conquered "Old Black Joe," and for an encore 
gave us "Way down upon the Swanee River." Whistling 
is quite popular at our school now.. These four chums 
have considerable musical talent. Most boys seem to 
be afraid or ashamed to take part in anything musical, 
but these four are not, I suppose because they have so 
much music at their homes. They sing some of the 
war songs together. Fred and Walter often give a 
mouth organ duet also. Tom and Carl have developed 
into "bone" artists. 

The girls are not behind the boys in contributing to 
the program. Besides piano selections by Ethel and 
Clara, Alice Wiltz has played on her autoharp for us, 
and Martha Morrow and Mary Sims have shown us how 
to make music from combs covered with tissue paper. 
But we do not confine our program to ourselves. Some- 
times the committee arranges for some one to come to 
the school and take part. One afternoon our minister, 
Mr. Spalding, told us stories about some of the most 
popular hymns. Another afternoon Miss Williams's 
cousin, who was visiting her for a few days, played for 
us on her violin. It was beautiful. Once the committee 
tried to coax old Darky Miller, as he is called, to take 
part, but he made all sorts of excuses. He sings some 
wonderful old made-up sort-of-story songs that are a 
treat to hear. One day my father told us the story 
of the singing school held at the old schoolhouse in the 
early days. We have had the loan of Snider's phono- 
graph two or three times. They live near, so it is not 



OUR MUSIC 



^33 



difficult to bring it over. We are thinking of getting a 
phonograph for the school. 

We always have a good Christmas concert at the school. 
At least we call it a Christmas concert, though generally it 
is held early in December. The schoolhouse is always 
packed and we usually make about $40. Last year we 
called it a Patriotic School Concert. Miss Williams, with 
Mrs. Leigh's help, trained us to give a little cantata that 




Our School Concert 

was printed in one of the school papers. All the Allies were 
represented by girls, and we had simple homemade cos- 
tumes to suit. The stage was decorated with flags. 
Some of the boys were dressed in khaki and gave a drill. 
Martha Morrow took the part of Columbia. Mary 
Sims represented Canada. Alice Wiltz was Italy, Clara 
Burns was England, Ethel Staples was Belgium, Sarah 
Morrow was France, and little Helen Thomson was 
Serbia, All the school joined in the choruses. The 



134 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

concert was a great success. We took in more than $50, 
which we handed over to the Red Cross. The people 
of the district were very proud of this feature of the 
school's work. 

Suggestions 

1. For your school library buy some good song books, such as a Col- 
lege Song Book and one containing the best selection of songs of different 
nationalities. Get a dozen or so copies of some well-recommended school 
song book for class use. Borrow them to take home so that you can sing 
the songs to the folks at home. 

2. Make your own song book. If you are taking down the words of 
songs, write them in a book that you keep for this purpose only, or write 
them on loose leaves and bind them together as a portfolio. Paste in songs 
that may be cut from newspapers. Music taken from magazines such as 
the Ladies' Home Journal should be bound within strong paper covers. 

3. Hold naming contests of tunes. Let pupils take turns in humming 
the first Unes of well-known songs, hjonns, or tunes, and the remainder of 
the class write down the names. Vary this by himiming other lines than the 
first. Who knows most tunes? 

4. For recreation and fun "make up" tunes for verses in your readers. 
Instead of reading the poems, take turns in singing the verses. Vote on 
the one who makes the best tune. Sing some of the sentences in the prose 
selections also for variety. 

5. From music dealers' catalogues or advertisements, learn the names, 
values, and structure of different musical instruments. Paste pictures 
of these on a chart for display on your bulletin board. Have a spelling 
lesson on the names. 

6. If you have a piano at school, get some one, the tuner for example, 
to show you the mechanism of the instrument and to tell you how to care 
for it. If you have an opportunity, visit a piano factory. 

7. Are there any homemade "fiddles" in your district? Boys used 
to make their own. 

8. If there are any well-known poems or hymns in your school readers 
that are commonly sung, practice them in school. 

9. Arrange a singing contest between schools at your school fair or 
your community picnic. The committee that has the matter in charge 
should select several months ahead one or two songs to be sung at the 
contest. The school choirs might be limited to ten or twelve boys and girls. 

10. Learn the national anthems of the different countries that were 



OUR MUSIC 135 

allied with the United States. Learn some of the best of the war songs 
also. Some of them will live. Learn these. 

11. If you attend a consolidated school and travel to and from school 
in vans, practice choruses and rounds en route. At your school concerts 
or picnics have singing contests between the choirs of different vans. Even 
if you walk to and from school, groups of pupils from neighboring homes 
may sometimes sing marching songs and choruses together. 

12. Make inquiries about the singing schools of the early days of your 
neighborhood. Who taught them? How was the singing master paid? 
Can you find a copy of the old singing book used? Who had the first musi- 
cal instrument in the settlement? Did any family have a melodeon or a 
harpsichord? 

13. If there are any old folks in the neighborhood who sing old-fashioned 
ballads or folk songs that they learned in their youth and brought from 
other countries, ask them to teach them to you. Write down the words 
and the tunes too, if you can. Do not let such music perish. 

14. Borrow a phonograph for Friday afternoon programs and school 
concerts. If purchasing a phonograph for the school, get one on which 
different kinds of records can be used. People may then lend their records 
to the schools. Exchange records with neighboring schools. Do not col- 
lect trashy records. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

Our School Diary — Land's End School Records 
Local and General History 




Have you ever kept a diary? Not a dairy! It is very interesting. It 
trains one to be observant, to be thoughtful, and to be careful in state- 
ment — three very valuable habits. 

Try a School Diary for recording nature observations, happenings at 
school and in the district, and important events discussed in your General 
Information lessons. You can make it a little history of your locality and 
of the world at large. 

Much of one's education comes from reading. Learn to use newspapers 
and magazines wisely and well. 

Our School Diary has grown into its second volume 
now. We are very proud of last year's volume. It has 
been neatly covered, bound with ribbon, and placed in 
the School Library. To a certain extent it is a history 
of Land's End School. It is interesting to read over 



OUR SCHOOL DIARY 



137 



now, and should be even more interesting a few years 
hence. I should like to read such diaries of my father's 
and mother's schooldays. But they did not keep diaries 
at the schools they attended. Their school work was 
Hmited pretty much to the three R's — Reading, 'Rit- 
ing, and 'Rithmetic. 

The School Diary has come into existence through 
our Nature Study and General Information studies. 
These were started by our 
teacher, Miss Walker, when 
the fall term commenced two 
years ago last September. At 
first we had no intention of 
keeping a School Diary. But 
as the work went ahead and a 
group of the girls became in- 
terested in keeping their own 
diaries. Miss Walker asked us 
one day how we would Hke 
to keep a School Diary. She 
explained her ideas about it, 
and every one thought it would 
be interesting. The plan was 
to record items about the 
school and the neighborhood and also 
Nature Study observations and General 
topics that were discussed in class. 

For a while we made our records in a common five- 
cent note book. This was kept on the teacher's desk, 
and any one was allowed to read it at noon or recess. 
Each week a different pupil was put in charge to see that 
the records were properly made. The names of the pu- 




The Cover of my Loose 
Leaf Diary 



some of the 
Information 



138 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

pils who were to write in each day's report were written 
on the blackboard so that there could be no misunder- 
standings. The Saturday and Sunday entries were 
written down on Mondays. 

When the note book was full, we decided to use a loose- 
leaf scheme, and that is the way all the work is done now. 
One sheet is used for each week's records, which are written 
with ink and signed by the writer. The report for each 
day is not written on that same day. There is usually a 
delay of a day or two, and that allows one to insert news 
items in their proper places. The sheet is put up on our 
bulletin board daily for every one's inspection. In the 
years to come it will be interesting to the pupils of the 
school to compare the handwriting of their predecessors. 

As I said, the matter for the records is taken from our 
Nature Study and General Information lessons. Every 
morning after our opening exercises, which consist of a 
reading of a portion of the Scripture, the repeating of the 
Lord's Prayer, roll call, and a song, we spend ten or fifteen 
minutes discussing observations made during the past 
twenty-four hours about such things as important local 
happenings, birds, insects, weather, farm operations, 
and crops. Later in the day, we write down in our 
Nature Study note book one or more of the important 
things that have been mentioned, as well as our own 
observations. 

Some of the pupils have kept splendid records. Mar- 
garet Copeland's and Lena Worthy's are generally the best. 
These girls hke doing this kind of work and are very proud 
of their "Nature Diaries," as they call them. Here are 
a few of the records Margaret Copeland made in the 
spring of 1916: — 



OUR SCHOOL DIARY 139 

Saturday, March 18. — To-day was lovely and mild. My brother 
Alec was out fishing at Mill Pond and caught two trout. When he 
caught them, they had a lot of red specks showing on them, but when 
he got them home, there were only a few specks to be seen. 

At sunset there was a pink strip of cloud with blue above. 

Mr. and Mrs. Seaman were at our home for supper. Their home 
is in North Dakota. Mrs. Seaman is an old schoolmate of Mother's. 

Wednesday, March 22. — -I saw a song sparrow in front of Web- 
ster's this morning, on the way to school. I could teU it because 
in its song it always gives three notes alike at the beginning — tweet, 
tweet, tweet. Its breast has a black spot on it. Its back is a pretty 
brown. 

I pulled one of the chestnut leaves off my sprouting twig and 
saw the little round hoof mark. 

Mr. Evans, the County Superintendent, visited our school to-day. 
Before he left, he complimented Miss Walker on the tidiness of 
everything about the school and also on the work of the classes. 

Then sometime during the afternoon, nearly every day 
we take ten minutes or so to report on topics of general 
interest that we read in the newspapers or magazines. 
On Friday afternoons we always try to have more time 
for this. We call this our General Information lesson. 
Most of the reports naturally have referred to the Great 
War or to important matters concerning our own country. 
Our teacher does not wish us to report on any trashy 
or sensational articles. She says one should learn to 
avoid wasting time reading ''rubbish" when there are 
so many important things to learn about. 

It is wonderful how many interesting things there are 
to know about the great world affairs. Tom Perrott is 
our greatest reader. He could use the whole time every 
day telling about the War. He has a cousin who went 
to France with a Canadian regiment in 1915. That 
makes him specially interested. He is quite a politician, 



140 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



too, and keeps us informed about elections and happenings 
in Congress. Fred Staples is very much interested in such 
things as inventions. They get a magazine at his home 
which tells about new machinery and such things as 
electrical apphances. His contributions are about these. 

Mary Sanford Hkes to read about foreign countries 
aind often has something interesting to tell about China 
or Japan or Africa. She always points out places on the 
map. Ahce Doughty generally reports about such things 
as Red Cross work. Very often Miss Walker tells us 
about special things that she has read. Even some of 
the youngest pupils bring in interesting topics. Miss 
Walker encourages them to ask their fathers and mothers 
to tell them things from the papers so that they can take 
part in the lessons. Sometimes Miss Walker sets us a 
certain topic and asks us to find out all we can about it 
for the next day's lesson, This work certainly makes us 
interested in reading the papers. 

The records for the week beginning April i were : — 

Week of April i, 191/ 

Sunday, April i. — We call it April Fool's Day. Although it 
was Sunday there were some pranks played. There was no salt 
in Perrott's oatmeal, and at Staples' their clock had gained a half 
hour in some mysterious way through the night. 

It was a pleasant warm morning. There was a good attendance at 
Sunday School and Church. The Sunday School lesson was from 
the eleventh chapter of John's gospel. Mr. Lytle's sermon was 
on "The Bible." It rained in the afternoon. 

Mary Sanford. 

Monday, April 2. — Twenty-seven at school to-day. Esther 
Bates was at home sick. Four pupUs have had "perfect atteild- 
ance" — no lates nor absences — in March. They are Lucy Sin- 



OUR SCHOOL DIARY 141 

clair, Alice Doughty, Priscilla Redmond, and myself. Roads very 
muddy but drying fast. Tom Perrott brought a bunch of pussy 
willows for the teacher's desk. Some of the farmers are delivering 
hogs at Moretown Station for shipping. Price $17.50. 

Congress meets to-day to decide regarding war with Germany. 

Fred Staples. 

Tuesday, April 3. — Every pupU at school to-day; no lates. 
Warm, beautiful day. Fields drying and some farmers sowing oats. 
The pussy willows have opened some since yesterday. John Tanton 
and Tom Perrott reported watching a pair of bluebirds making a 
nest in a fence post. The frogs (Miss Walker says they are tree 
frogs) are making a great noise in the ponds and ditches these days. 

President Wilson reads his war message to Congress. 

Alice Doughty. 

Wednesday, April 4. — AU present but Mary Sanford, who 
went to town with her mother. There was a beautiful sunset yes- 
terday. There was a frost during the night. We needed a little 
fire in the stove in the morning to warm the school. A song sparrow 
was heard singing outside the school before morning recess. We 
all listened and tried to whistle like it. Old Mrs. Morehouse, one 
of the early settlers, is very sick and not expected to get better. 

War resolutions pass both Houses of Congress. 

Tom Perrott. 

Thursday, April 5. — • AU present to-day and no lates. Another 
frost this morning, but a clear, bright day. Seeding going on. We 
had a spelling match in the afternoon and John Tanton stood up 
longest. Lena Worthy stayed up longest for the girls. The word 
that put her down was conscientious. Every person in the district 
is anxious about the war news. We had a long discussion on the 
President's message and read part of it in class from the newspaper. 

Margaret Copeland. 

Friday, April 6. — Full attendance to-day. Cooler than yester- 
day. This is Elsie Howe's birthday. After roll call, Miss Walker 
wished her many happy returns of the day, and we gave her a hearty 
clap of the hands. 



142 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

War was declared by the United States on Germany at four 

o'clock in the morning. 

Our school report for the month of March appeared in the VaUey- 

field Echo. 

Agnes Bridon. 

Saturday, April 7. — ■ Another fine day. It has been a good 

week for getting spring work done. Robins and bluebirds common. 

The market reports appearing in this week's papers show the effects 

of the war talk. 

Frank Ford. 

Suggestions 

1. The weekly market reports are interesting and instructive. These 
might be given a special place in a School Diary or at any rate reported on 
in the General Information lessons occasionally. They should be used 
also for making up-to-date arithmetic problems. 

2. At the time of the weekly lesson on General Information, pupils 
might exchange useful papers and magazines that have been read at their 
homes and which are no longer wanted. Avoid publications that contain 
merely trashy stories. Speakers might be invited to the school for this 
period also to give talks on travels they have made. 

3. For a special report on weather, attach a leaf from a calendar to a 
sheet used in the diary, and in the space for each day describe the weather 
conditions. If you have a thermometer at school, mark down the tem- 
perature for a certain hour each day. If you get a daily paper that prints 
daily reports on the weather, these may be cut out and pasted in the diary 
for a week or a month. 

4. Local happenings of interest may readily be recorded by cutting 
news items from the local newspaper and pasting them on leaves for in- 
sertion in the diary. The dates should be written on all such extracts. 
From some districts local correspondents send weekly contributions to 
the papers. These might be kept together as a history of the district. 
Editors may welcome the school as their contributor; in such case, the work 
might be divided weekly among groups of the older pupils and the work 
accepted for credits in composition. These contributions from the school 
should be pasted in the school diary with the name of the correspondent 
written on them. 



CHAPTER XIX 

Our Own Arithmetic — How the Dawn Valley School 
Makes its own Arithmetic Problems 




Did you ever know that Arithmetic is all around you? It doesn't be- 
long merely to books. It is in the kitchen and at the table; in the fields 
and around the stable; we wear it and eat it, fight with it and make it for 
ourselves! It can be invented. 

This chapter tells of some of the home-made Arithmetic that the boys 
and girls in Dawn Valley School had so much fun — and education too — 
in making. 

Of course we have hook Arithmetic in the Dawn Valley 
School. We have to have that even if some of us don't 
like the hard problems that puzzle us sometimes. And 
we have mental Arithmetic. That's fun! Walter Owens 
is so quick at it that Miss Shantz can't give a question 
too fast for him to follow. Sometimes she lets some of 
us give out the questions. That's fun too. But the 



144 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Arithmetic we like best is our own Arithmetic. We make 
our own questions, and when we can't invent them our- 
selves, we get the folks at home to help us find them. 

This is how we carry out the plan. At first Miss 
Shantz used to tell us every week what topics we were 
to work in, but after a while she let us choose topics for 
ourselves. Usually the boys chose one topic, and the 
girls another. Sometimes Miss Shantz has to show us 
by examples what she wants us to do. The problems 
are handed in Friday morning, and after looking them 
over and commenting on them. Miss Shantz puts them 
on our bulletin board. During the following week we 
work them out in different classes as a part of our regular 
work in Arithmetic. The teacher then puts the ques- 
tions together in a folder. We always write the questions 
on the same size of paper, so that the sheets will form 
a neat Arithmetic booklet for use in future classes. 

Here are some of the topics on which problems have 
been made. We have been more than a year at the 
work now. 

On measuring lengths. — The dimensions of books, 
slates, envelopes, calendars, desks, maps, window-panes, 
windows, stoves, pictures, newspapers, the school build- 
ing, the school grounds, our homes, barns, fields, and the 
distances from home to school. For these we used foot 
rules, "spanning," yard sticks, "stepping off," the 
lengths of strings, a bamboo fish pole one rod long, and 
a tape measure that Miss Shantz borrowed from Mr. 
Decker. A few of the boys can get really wonderfully 
correct measurements by spanning and stepping. And 
Karl Myers judges remarkably well by his eye. Measur- 
ing from the school gate in both directions, we drove in 



OUR OWN ARITHMETIC 



145 



stakes on the roadside to mark a furlong. We have also 
set up quarter-mile posts. 

On estimating areas. — The surfaces of all the things 
mentioned above as well as the mats, rugs, and floors 
and walls of rooms at home. We also had a small roll 
and a large roll of wall paper to measure. Lucy Larsen 
brought these from home. "Papering" questions were 
easy after that. 

On calculating contents. — The number of cubic inches, 
feet, or yards in books, pasteboard boxes, blocks of wood, 
pieces of plank, chalk 



boxes, butterprints, 
barns, stables, wagon 
boxes, mows, bins, rail- 
way cars, piles of wood, 
etc. For the highest 
class there were ques- 
tions also on silos, 
tanks, and milk cans. 

On weights. — The 
weights of our books, 
our school lunches, of 
bricks, stones, small 
boxes of sand and earth. 



m *" 1(11 




We Learn How to Weigh 



bottles, pieces of iron, pails of water, blocks of wood, 
measures of grain, a dozen eggs, etc. For weighing things 
at school we borrowed Mr. Conrad's scales for two weeks. 
Nearly every one in the school learned to use them. 
Some of us became quite expert, too, at judging weights 
of sticks of wood, stones, books, etc. 

On money matters. ■ — Cheese factory receipts, saving 
money, the value of implements, the cost of food, taxes. 



146 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

insurance, cost of furnishing a kitchen, feeding stock, 
etc., the cost of making clothes, the value of the school 
equipment, comparisons of market prices from week to 
week. 

On time. — The rate of walking and running, on our 
ages, on the difference in the length of days, the propor- 
tion of time spent in sleeping, working, eating, etc., 
guessing times with eyes closed. 

Samples of our Problems 

On our Ages, by Annie Swartz 

If Arthur were three years younger than he is, he would be only 
three years older than Rob, who is seven. How old is Arthur? 

On our Weights, by Mabel Johnson 

Constance weighs 69 pounds and I weigh 3 pounds more. Lucy 
weighs 2 pounds less than half our combined weights. What is 
Lucy's weight? 

On our Heights, by Andrew McLean 

The heights of the boys in our class are: Arthur, 4' 11"; Tom, 4' 
8;" Fred, 5' o"; Karl, 5' 2"; and myself, 4' 9". What is our aver- 
age height? How much taUer are the two taUer of us than the two 
shorter? 

Saving Money, by Constance Balfour 

If a child saves (or has saved for it) every week the number of 
cents that it is years old, starting when it reaches its first birthday, 
what will its savings amount to when it completes its twelfth year? 

What would be saved in 10 years at the rate of: (i) i cent a day; 
(2) 10 cents a week; (3) 50 cents a month? 

On Walking Home, by Fred Nixon 

The front of our school grounds by actual measurement is 8 rods. 
Timed by the teacher's watch it takes Karl and me on an average 
just about one half minute to walk past, walking at our usual rate. 



OUR OWN ARITHMETIC 147 

As a rule it takes me about 40 minutes' steady walking to come to 
school. It takes Karl about 45 minutes. 

How far are our homes from the school? 

By taking a short cut across the fields I can reach the school in 
32 minutes. What distance is saved by taking the short cut? 

On Wagon Wheels, by Arthur Smith 
The front wheels on our wagon are 4 feet in diameter and the hind 

wheels 5 feet. 

How often does each wheel turn in going the 2^ miles from our 

place to Stanley's Mill? 

On Cheese Factory Returns, by Stella Blaker 

We are sending all the milk from six of our cows to the factory. 
The weights for last week were: Monday, 475 pounds; Tuesday, 
224 pounds; Wednesday, 240 pounds; Thursday, 242 pounds; 
Friday, 237 pounds; Saturday, 240 pounds. 

What is the daily average yield from each cow? 

What wiU be the returns for the week at $1.25 a cwt.? 

Allowing 10^ pounds of milk for a pound of cheese, what weight 
of cheese would be made from the mUk? 

Feeding Pigs, by Tom Decker 
These figures were discovered in last week's Farmer's Advocate. 
With Father's help I worked out the questions. 

A Mr. MuUins of Middlesex County reports the following: 
"On September 11, 191 7, I began to keep account of the feed 
consumed by one of my breeding sows and her ten new-born off- 
spring. The feed required for the sow up to March 23, and the 
ten young pigs up to April 4, when they were sold, was: 

2,400 lbs. shorts valued at market price at $2.30 

per cwt $55.20 

1,020 lbs. shorts at $2.35 per cwt 23.97 

400 lbs. feed flour at $3.70 per cwt 14.80 

600 lbs. corn feed at $3.50 per cwt 21.00 

2,530 lbs. oats at 60 cents per bushel 44-64 

986 lbs. barley at $1.25 per bushel 25.67 

Grinding 32 bags of chop 2.95 



148 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

"The pigs weighed 2010 lbs. and were sold at $20.10 per cwt." 

How many days old were the pigs when they were sold? What 
was their average weight? Allowing that they were each 2 lbs. in 
weight when born, how much did each gain in weight every day on 
an average? 

Allowing that one-tenth of the total amount of the feed was used 
by the sow up to March 23, what was the total financial gain, not 
charging for labor or rent? 

What was the average cost of the feed to raise each pig? What 
was the gain on each pig? 

How many pounds of feed did it take on the average to raise 
each pig? 

How many pounds of feed did it take on an average to get an in- 
crease of one pound in the weight of each pig? 

If the prices for the feed had been only one-half what they were 
and the pigs had sold at $9.00 a hundred-weight, what would have 
been the gain? 

How do these figures compare with the results obtained on your 
farm? 

On the Cost of Living, by Isabel Conrad 

These are the amounts and the values of the food used in our home 
for the past two weeks. The accounts were kept by Mother and 
myself. The prices are as nearly as we could remember the average 
prices that people paid at KirkviUe before the war. There are six 
in our family altogether. Of course we bake our own bread. 

Bread, Cereals, etc. 

14 loaves of bread @ 10^ $1.40 

12 lb. flour @ 2)i 36 

2 lb. oatmeal @ 5ji 10 

4 lb. cornmeal @ 4f5 16 

1 lb. rice @ 6^ 06 

J lb. tapioca @ 8ff 02 

2 lb. beans ® si 10 

Vegetables and Fruits 

I bu. potatoes @ 6ofS 30 

f bu. apples @ $1.00 50 

4 jars canned fruit @ 30)^ 1.20 



OUR OWN ARITHMETIC 



149 



5 jars tomatoes and corn @ i5ff 75 

Carrots, cabbage, etc 15 

Meats, etc. 

1 chicken ©75^ 75 

8 lb. meat @ iSfS 1.44 

4 lb. fish ©12?; 48 

28 qts. milk ® 6^ 1.68 

4 doz. eggs @ 25^ i.oo 

Fats 

5 lb. butter @ 30^ 1.50 

2 lb. lard @ 22^ 44 

Sugar, etc. 

6 lb. sugar @ 8^ 48 

3 lb. sugar @ si 15 

I lb. honey @iif5 11 

1 pt. syrup @ lOfJ 10 

spices 05 

2 lb. coffee ©35^ 70 

I lb. tea @ 45 f! 45 

What was the total value of food supplies for the two weeks? 

At this rate, what would be the value for the year? 

What was the average cost of each meal for the family, not charg- 
ing for cooking, etc.? 

What was the average cost of a meal for each member of the 
family? 

What proportion of the total expense was the cost of the meat? 
Of the bread? 

Using the prices that are now charged for the same articles, com- 
pare the cost of living with 19 14. 



Cost of Producing Potatoes, by James Hodgson 

My brother Joe entered the Junior Farmers' Potato-growing 
Competition this year and was successful in winning the first prize. 
I helped him in the work a little. He had to keep account of every- 
thing to submit to the County Agent at the close of the season. 

These are the figures showing the cost of production on one 
half acre : 



I50 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Rent of land $5.00 

Plowing 2.00 

Seed, 15 bu. at $2.75 per bu 41-25 

Manure, 8 tons at 50^ 4.00 

Manure, 4 tons at 30?! 1.20 

Spraying mixture, 35^ 35 

Man's labor, at i5cf per hour io-95 

Horse labor, at 10^ per hour 45 

Total cost of production 

Yield of marketable potatoes, 23 if bu. 
Value at 90 (^ per bu. 
Cost of production 
Net profit on ^ acre 
Net profit on i acre 
Calculate the net profit on the one half acre. 

Calculate the profit, using other figures which you think would 
represent fairer charges for rent, seed, manure, and labor, and fairer 
prices for the product. 

What allowance should have been made for the unmarketable 
potatoes? There were about 12 bushels of these. 

If the yield had been the average yield of the potato crops in this 
district, what would the gain have been? 

Is 30 bushels to the acre a high rate of seed to use? 



Suggestions 

1. Measure the length of your step, your foot, the span of your hand, 
the full stretch of your arms, so that you may use these in your calculations. 
Train yourself to measure objects by inspection. 

2. For Friday afternoon entertainment hold a contest in estimating 
the dimensions of objects in the school room, such as the maps, walls, doors, 
windows, blackboards, stove, bookcase, desks, pails, etc. Vary the contest 
by guessing the weights and height of different pupils. 

3. Ask the folks at home to note facts and figures from which you can 
make problems, e.g. your father could teU you what part of the width 
of a field he had ploughed in a day, and knowing the width of the furrow 
and the length of the field, you could determine how far he had walked. 



OUR OWN ARITHMETIC 151 

4. Watch the columns of the agricultural papers for reports on the 
cost of building silos, the feeding of farm animals, etc. Taking the figures 
given, test the accuracy of the answers printed in the paper. Use the market 
reports for problems. 

5. Get the figures from neighbors, who may not have children coming 
to school, for the cost of any work that they may have done, e.g. the drain- 
ing of land or the building of a fence. 

6. Mothers will be able to help in making good problems on household 
matters, e. g. determining the distances walked in preparing a meal, the 
total weight of water carried in a day, the cost of bread making, the value 
of kitchen equipment, etc. 



CHAPTER XX 

Our Farm Bookkeeping — How the Pupils at the 
Cedar Creek School Kept Farm Accounts 




A Farmer has to be an all-round man. There is no other calling that 
requires so many accomplishments. 

First, he has to be a Laborer — he cannot escape doing hard manual labor. 

Second, he has to be an Agriculturist — he must skillfully and intelli- 
gently cultivate the soil", produce crops, and raise animals. 

Third, he should be a Scientist — a knowledge of the Science of Agri- 
culture is fundamental to the Art of Farming. 

Fourth, he must be a Mechanic — he does his work more and more with 
the use of machinery. He must use tools every day. 

Fifth, he must play his part as a Citizen — he has his duties as an im- 
portant member of a democratic society. 

Sixth, he must be a Business Man — he is the manager of one of the most 
complicated businesses in the world. He buys and sells. He borrows 
and loans. He bargains and trades. He employs labor and he uses capi- 



OUR FARM BOOKKEEPING 153 

tal. He manufactures and markets. He mortgages and banks. He 
fonns joint stock companies and cooperative associations. His success is 
dependent on good business management. 

No matter how hard he works as a Laborer, no matter how skilled he 
is as an Agriculturist, no matter how well informed he is as a Scientist, no 
matter how skillful he is as a Mechanic, no matter how worthy and intelli- 
gent he is as a Citizen, poor judgment in business will result in failure and 
disappointment. 

A good Business Man keeps records of business transactions. 

Farmers should keep books. 

Our teacher, Miss Van Wyck, has asked me to explain 
the plan we follow in Cedar Creek School for keeping 
simple farm accounts. It is not at all a difhcult plan. 
All the boys and girls in Grades 7 and 8 are carrying it 
out, and even a few in the lower classes write up some of 
the records. We all enjoy the work, for the folks at 
home are interested in it, and the teacher gives us credit 
for it as a part of our work in Arithmetic. I think it is 
good training too. It helps a person to be careful and 
businesslike. 

When the work commenced no person really thought 
of keeping accounts systematically. The plan grew out 
of exercises we had in our Rural Science work. In the 
lower grades the pupils keep "Nature Diaries" in which 
they tell all about the weather, birds, flowers, etc., and 
ift the higher classes the records used to be of the work 
about the farm. One day Miss Van Wyck suggested 
that we might, if our parents did not object, write in 
accounts of business transactions too, and a few of us 
commenced to do this. The people in the district talked 
about it a good deal and seemed to think so well of the 
scheme that the trustees asked Miss Van Wyck to make 
it a regular part of the school work. 



154 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



The plans for the Fields Account and the Inventory 
became part of the scheme afterwards. At first they 
were simply practical exercises that we worked out for 
our Friday afternoon lessons in Agriculture. But they 
were seen to be such valuable records of the year's work 
on the farms that we put them in with our Farm Ac- 
counts. A few pupils keep special accounts of the milk 
produced, arid Carl Ritchie keeps account of the eggs 
laid by their hens. But most of us are too lazy to under- 
take these. 

For this work we keep our exercises in the same way 
as we keep our compositions and our Rural Science les- 
sons, that is, on loose leaves in a portfolio. The pockets 
in our portfolio are used for keeping all receipts, due 
bills, and accounts. For extra safety they are sorted 
into labelled envelopes that fit neatly into the pockets 
or are pasted on some of the loose leaves. This system 
enables a person to keep the accounts for several years 
together in a very convenient form. My father and 
mother help me with the accounts, of course. They are 
as much interested in them as I am. They often jot 
down items on the slate that hangs in our kitchen for 
me to write in afterwards. Once or twice a week is often 
enough for attending to the work. 

The making of an inventory is somewhat difficult, as 
Father and I found out. But it is interesting. Itjs not 
very easy to fix a price on farm animals or old machinery, 
and there are nearly always some things overlooked. 
Mother had notions about the value of some of the cows 
that did not agree with ours. She also found it hard to 
consent to put the price of her dishes and table linen at 
what they might be expected to fetch at a sale. But 



OUR FARM BOOKKEEPING 



155 



this was the rule Father stood by for everything. The 
second year's inventory was much easier to make than 
the first, for we had our old figures to go by. We were 
all surprised at the total. I don't think Father had any 
idea that we owned over $15,000 worth of property. 
Neither Mother nor I had. And he was as much sur- 
prised when the 191 7 inventory showed an increase of 
$1857.25. 

The Field Account is interesting, and it is very easy 
to keep. It furnishes a sort of comparative history 
of the farm operations from year to year. Father 
has always followed a pretty regular rotation of crops, 
and he finds that this scheme helps him to plan ahead. 
It is hard to remember more than a year or two 
just what particular crop was grown in a certain field 
if there is no record of it. 

Farm and Household Accounts 



Receipts 



1917 



Expenses 



80 



Apr. I 



Apr. 2 



A beautiful spring day. A good at- 
tendance at church and Sunday 
School. Text of Mr. Schnell's ser- 
mon — Mark 4:3 "Behold, there 
went out a sower to sow." 

Special contribution to Mission 
Fund 

Found first Wake Robin of season in 
bloom on way to school. 

Father seeding in Field No. 5 with 
Abundance Oats 15 bu. @ $1.00 

Mother at Marysville sold 20 doz. 
eggs @ 2$^ ($5.00) and 16 lb. of 
butter at ^o^ ($4.80). 



156 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



Receipts 



1917 



Apr. 3 



Apr. 4 



80 



Apr. 5 



Apr. 6 



Apr. 7 



Mother bought me a pair of shoes, 
$2.50; a tea kettle, $1.25; and 
window screens, $1.50 

There was a hard frost in the night. 
Little Alice Porritt started to 
school to-day. 

Father stUl busy seeding. Finished 
Field No. 5; used 8 bu. @ $1.00. 

Mother sent a mail order to Brown's 
for dress, working apron, etc. 

Had a lesson at school to-day on seed- 
ing. Discussed the construction 
of different kinds of grain drills. 
We estimated there would be about 
1000 acres of oats grown in this 
district this year. 

Father deUvered 4 hogs at the sta- 
tion to-day, 880 lb. @ $17.25. 
They were sold to Mr. Purvis. He 
brought home half a ton of fertU- 
lizer for the corn and potatoes, 
bought from Harris Co. 

Had Nell's shoes set by blacksmith 

Mr. Smith was spraying his orchard 
as we passed this morning. The 
teacher brought some frog eggs to 
school in a glass jar. 

Father hauling manure to Field No. 
6 with spreader. 

Saturday — Raining and cold. 
Mother set first hens. Helped 
Father overhaul machinery in shed. 
Ordered new parts for corn-planter. 
Sent off money for insurance on 
barn and contents 



Expenses 



25 



15 



14- 



OUR FARM BOOKKEEPING 



157 



Inventory 
Cornlee Farm — March ji, igiy 



Land 

125 acres @ $75 $9,375.00 

Buildings 

Barn and Stables. . .$1200 

Hog Stable 200 

Hen House 75 

Work Shop 75 

Dwelling 1500 

3,050.00 
Horses 
Queenie, $175; Nell, 
$200; Pat, $150; Tom, 
$125; Pete, $160; 2 colts 
@, $60, $120 930.00 

Milk Cows 

Brownie, $100; Sis, $75 
DeKol, $125; Bess, $60; 
Tom Boy, $100; Sail, $90; 
June Girl, $100; Polly, 
$50; 4 calves @ $50, 
$200 900.00 

Beef Cattle 
4 2-year Steers @ $90 .... 360.00 
4 Yearlings @ $40 160.00 

Swine 

2 Sows @ $30 $60 

16 Pigs @ $5 80 140.00 

Sheep 

6 Sheep @ $15 $90 

9 Lambs® $5 45 135.00 

Poultry 

60 Hens @ $1.00 $60 

4Ducks@$i.25 5 65.00 



Feed 

Hay 5 tons @ $10 $50 

Oats, 100 bu. @ 50^. ... 50 
Corn, 200 bu. @ 75f5 . . 150 
Bran, OU Cake, etc 20 

Implements 

Wagon, $65; Truck 
Wagon, $45 ; Light 
Wagon, $35; Buggy, $80; 
Sleigh, $25; Cutter, $35; 
Hay Racks, etc., $20; 

Wheelbarrows, $8 

2 Plows, $30; Harrows, 
$18; Disc Harrows, $35; 
Cultivator, $40; Roller, 
$25; Grain Drill, $65; 
Corn Planter, $35; Ma- 
nure Spreader, $75 

Implements 

Hay Rake. $20; Hay 
Tedder, $30; Hay Mower, 
$55; Binder, $125; Corn 

Harvester, $100 

GasoHne Engine, $75; 
Cream Separator, $50; 
Fanning Mill, $20; Feed 
Grinder, $20; Milk Cans, 

$10 

Harness, $125; Chains, 
$6; Forks, Shovels, etc., 
$10; Carpenter's Tools, 
$15; Blacksmith's Tools, 



5270.00 



;i3.oo 



523.00 



$330-00 



5175.00 



Implements Total $1,327.00 



158 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Household Effects Summary 

Furniture $400 Land $9375.00 

Carpets 100 Buildings 3050.00 

Piano 250 Live Stock 2690.00 

Kitchen Stove 75 pged 270.00 

-^^^'^^^ 35 Implements 1327.00 

Linen, Curtains 35 Household 1170.00 

Bedding 75 Q^gh 372.50 

Clothing ■ 200 Stock 50.00 



511,170.00 ■ 

Stock in Cheese Factory. . $25.00 Total Assets $19,104.50 

Stock in Co-operative Ass'n 25.00 Liabilities 1375.00 

Cash in Hand 2.50 

Cash in Bank 360.00 Present Worth $17,729.50 

1916 Inventory 15,872.25 

Owing on Mortgage 1200.00 

Owing on Notes 175.00 Increase $1857.25 

Suggestions 

1. Make use of the results of the local bookkeeping for homemade 
problems in arithmetic. 

2. At your school fair exhibit samples of farmer's account books 
kept by pupils. Induce the directors of the Agricultural Society to give 
prizes for this kind of school work at the fall fair. 

3. Invite your local banker to come to the school and explain banking 
practices, such as opening a savings account, making out a deposit slip, 
issuing a check, buying a draft, and borrowing money on a note. 

4. Make inquiries to learn how many farmers in your district keep 
systematic accounts of .their business. Invite some of these to come to the 
school and explain their methods. Perhaps some one can show you how 
to determine a farmer's labor-income or how to estimate the cost of growing 
corn, of producing milk, etc. 

5. Ask the secretary-treasurer of the local creamery or the manager of 
the Farmers' Club to show you how he keeps records of the business en- 
trusted to him. Perhaps a nearby storekeeper or miller can give you a 
good lesson in bookkeeping. Find out how the books are kept for your 
school, and also for the church. 

6. Do any of the pupils in your school keep any account of their per- 
sonal expenses? This may be done conveniently in a pocket diary which 
is ruled specially to permit this. WTien one leaves home to go to school 



OUR FARM BOOKKEEPING 



159 



Field Account 
Cornlec Farm — 1916-1919 



BROWNS- 
FARM 



N0.4 



T: 



25 ACRES ^'^ 

l9l6-C0RN-1300BU5t1EL5 
l9n-OAT5-IOOOBU5nEL5 
I<)I(>-HAY(£5ton^'^ncPa5ture 
|9l'3-CORN-l700BU5tia5 



No. 5 



IGACRE5 

l'3|(i-OAT5-800BU5H[L5 
|9I7-I1AY(-'°to«)anoPa5TURE 
19 18 -CORN- 600BU5h[L5 
l919-WhEAT-^50BU5nEL5 



No. 6 



5 ACRE5 
IN ALFALFA 
I9lfc - 1^ TONS 
1917 - 12 TOMS 
1916- 12 TONJ5 
1919 - 15 TON5 



ORCHARD 
iq l(>-2S BARREL'S 
19 17 -AO BARREL*) 

19 18- ISBARREL5 
19 19CR0PFA11URE 






WOODS 

11 ACRES 

No3l 

15 ACHE5 



I9I6-PA5TURE 
l9l7-CORN,800BU5hEL5 
1918- OATS. 650BU5nEL5 
19 1 9 - HAY,(^°-^'"<^)**"'PA5TURL 



No2 



20 ACRES 

l91b-nAY(30TOMs)PAbTURE 

FROM AUG-I^-I 
l9l7-C0RN-l500BU5nELS 
19I8-OAT5-I200BU3HEL5 
19 19- MAY -28T0N5 



BARN 




or to make his own way in the world this is a good habit to practice. It 
makes for thrift and personal satisfaction. With the Httle diary regularly 
written up one has an interesting record to retain for future years. 

7. Cut out items from agricultural papers which give the figures of 
practical farmers for such things as raising a colt or other livestock, the 
cost of producing any field crops or fruit. Keep these in a portfolio for 
reference and comparison. 



CHAPTER XXI 

Our Weeds — How the Stony Plain School Used 
Them for Nature Study Lessons 




Weeds, weeds, weeds everywhere! 

What a nuisance they are to the Farmer! 

How determined he must be to fight them! 

And how necessary it is that he should know these enemies well! 

Do you suppose any good thing can be said of weeds? Perhaps? They 
are interesting, anyway. 

Of all plants that grow, they are the ones that make the most success of 
their lives in the face of opposition. 

That's something to their credit, even if it does not win a welcome for 
them. 

I did not need to go to school to learn about weeds. 
I knew a lot about them before I started to school. Mother 



OUR WEEDS i6l 

tells me that I began to "help" her weed in our garden 
when I was about three years old. Perhaps I did pull 
up a few carrots and some of her asters! Somebody has 
to pay for a boy's education! Also I could tell what 
o'clock it was with a dandelion time-o'-day if somebody 
would count for me while I puffed and puffed. And I 
remember having thistles picked out of my sore feet 
after helping to bring the cows from the pasture — and 
perhaps I cried a bit because it hurt so. And burrs! 
It was always a question whether Collie or I could gather 
the most burrs about the farm. It was easier to get them 
off my clothes, though, than it was to tug them from 
the dog's matted hair. I didn't need a school teacher 
to introduce me to "cheeses" either. The knowledge 
of those mallow cart wheels was early handed down in 
the family. 

For a long time after I did start to school I continued 
my practical acquaintance, and not altogether to my 
liking. Part of my work was to look after our garden. 
There always seemed to be weeds to destroy. Hoeing 
and pulling, hoeing and pulling! Day and night they 
grew. They were bold. They tried to choke the growth 
of everything we planted. I'm afraid Mother had a 
hard time keeping me at my job. I didn't Hke it at any 
time, and I hated it sometimes. To have to stay at 
home and weed onions when one's chums are playing 
ball is nothing less than a slave's life. Weeding onions 
is hard enough at any time without that. 

If Mother had not been so fond of her garden and an- 
xious to have everything looking well-kept, I think I 
would have run away sometime and never come back. 
But a fellow wouldn't run away very far or stay away 



l62 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



very long from a mother like mine. So I stuck to it and 
weeded and weeded and weeded. When Mother praised 
me after I had done a good job, it took a lot of the sore- 
ness away. When there was a special treat of my favor- 
ite pancakes, I forgot my grievances entirely. And 
when Mother would take some of our neighbors into the 
garden to show them how well everything was looking 
and gather some of our early lettuce or green beans for 




I Weeded the Garden Faithfully 



them, I was proud. I didn't Hke weeding any more for 
these reasons, but I hated it less. 

I didn't know that weeds had anything to do with 
school or that learning had anything to do with weeds 
until last year. When school opened in September, 
we had Miss Allin for our teacher. One day she asked 
us to write down the names of all the weeds we knew. 
I found that although I knew many plants to be weeds I 
could name only about eight. And I knew more than 




Cover Design for a Booklet on Weeds 



The Booklet on Weeds 

Every pupil should make a booklet for each of the important subjects 
taken up for study. The booklet should be composed of such drawings 
and language work as is done in connection with the study as well as 
mounted leaves or other specimens that are readily included in it. 

The ordinary plain paper used for drawings serves very well. A good 
size is six by nine inches. Three holes should be punched near one end for 
binding with raffia in a cover of thicker paper. 

It is very easy to get material for the booklet on weeds. Characteristic 
leaves, branches, and flowers may be pressed and mounted. Young seed- 
lings also may be preserved. 



OUR WEEDS 163 

most of the boys and girls. Hugh Speers and Elsie 
Graham knew only five. This little test made every 
one of us — I knew it did me — feel that we were 
ignorant about one of the commonest things in the 
world. 

The next day Miss AlUn suggested that we go out on 
a weed-discovering expedition. She thought the school 
yard should be the first territory to be explored. We were 
to take twenty-five minutes to search for weeds. Each 
one of the older pupils was to take one of the Httle pupils 
as a helper. The couples were to spread out and not 
to help one another. A list was to be made by each 
group of all the weeds that were known, and if any un- 
known weecis were found, samples of these were to be 
brought back when she rang the bell. Little Harry 
Scott worked with me. We soon realized that our school 
yard was an old curiosity shop for weeds. I didn't 
know the names of one half of those we found. Harry 
knew the names of hardly any, but he could spy out new 
ones more quickly than I could. We had a busy time. 
The bell rang before we had finished our search along the 
fence at the back. 

When we gathered in the school and announced our 
figures, we found that some were evidently better ex- 
plorers than others. AHce Short and Janet Colville 
had found eight that they thought they knew and seven- 
teen unknown weeds. Harry and I reported nine known 
and fifteen unknown. Chester Matthews and Tommy 
Chase had found only six that they knew and eight that 
were unknown. Miss Allin put down on the blackboard 
the figures given by each of the twelve couples. There 
was an average of about six and one half weeds known 



164 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



- — at least we thought we knew them — and twelve un- 
known for the whole class. 

The next thing was to hold them up and name those 
that we knew. In this there were a number of mistakes 
made. Jamie Orr thought catnip was peppermint. 
Chester Matthews called a dock, a burdock. AUce Short 
did not know that black medick was not a clover. We 
also found that there was need of distinguishing names 
for different plants called thistles. And there were two 
kinds of chickweed. After we had gone over all the 

weeds brought in, we 
could count only eight 
of which Miss AlHn said 
we had the fight names. 
These were dandelion, 
Canada thistle, wild 
mustard, burdock, milk- 
weed, ox-eye daisy, 
catnip, and black 
medick. There were 
twenty other weeds the 
names of which we did 
not know. Who would 
have thought that there 
were twenty-eight dif- 
ferent kinds of weeds 
in one school yard? 

For next day's lesson 
Miss Allin asked us to 
try to find out at home what the names of some of the un- 
known weeds were. None of us was very successful in this. 
I gathered about a dozen of the same kinds of weed in 



r^ ^ 


-7\ 


) 

) 


m w 


/N, 




c 

( 




(Ml 


7 




3 


t 




H'S.T.T 5M*«..lH.f./«^ 

CoiLECTOd i'J^ S-m^ 

l.ot...r, . . .7l,jiP.~S 



Specimen Plant Mount 



OUR WEEDS 165 

our lane when I went home and after supper asked Father 
and Mother about them. They did not know any names 
for most of them, and ''didn't Hke to say" what the 
others were. When we reported to Miss Allin our fail- 
ures, she told us she was going to let us try to find out for 
ourselves by looking them up in Farmers' Bulletin No. 
28. She handed over her copy of the Bulletin and said 
she would give us until the next afternoon to work at it. 
We had a busy time at recess and noon hour that day and 
the next. Many a weed was pulled, too, to compare 
with the pictures in the book. 

This time we knew the names better. There were a 
few that we were not very sure of, and there were a few 
we couldn't find in the bulletin. But we had correct 
names for twenty. 

Miss AlHn was quite pleased with our results and 
gave us the names of the unknown ones. There were 
two that we had to send to the Agricultural College 
to be named for us. We made a list of them all on the 
blackboard and afterwards wrote this out on a large 
sheet of paper to hang as a record of our discoveries for 
future weed students to wonder at. For Miss AlHn 
said that now that we knew what a weed bed our school 
yard was, it would be a disgrace if we allowed the weeds 
to remain. This is another story. I haven't time to 
tell you how we got rid of most of them and got grass 
to grow in their stead. 

From our school grounds our weed studies were ex- 
tended to the gardens, the fields, and the roadsides. 
Before the snow came, we had learned to recognize 
about sixty weeds. We made studies of the seeds of 
some of them, too, and collected samples to glue on cards 



i66 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



or put in little glass bottles. Miss Allin showed us also 
how to press the weeds and mount them on paper. I 
mounted only six last fall but I now have over thirty. 
I keep them in a portfolio. It is an interesting collec- 
tion to me, for nearly every plant represents a new dis- 
covery. I have also learned a great deal about the 
plants while I have been working with them. Both 
Father and Mother are interested in my collection. 
They know the weeds now about as well as I do. Some- 



















H 




m 




M 






POPPY 




PINK 




AbTtR 





I", 

'LJ 

CARROTS 



TOnATO 



CE.LLRY 



StED5 GUUE.D TO PAbTtBOARD WITHIN 
SQUARES OF ATTACnLD CAP,0 BOARD 



^\je^Nl^W.tCN 



5E:ED5 GLUED TO PASTEBOARD AND 
SURROUNDED BT BRASS RINGS 





MOLES HUNCHED IN SHEET OF CARDBOARD M0LE5B0REDIN PLASTER OF PARIS PLAQUE. 

THIS PASTED ON ANOTHER SHEET. 5CED5 GLUED 5E E D5 CQV ERCD WITH GLA5S 

COVERED WITH GLASS AND PASSE-PARTOUTED AND PASSE - PARTOUTED 

Suggestions for Seed Collecting and Mounting 

times they find a new plant that none of us knows. If 
we cannot find it in our Bulletin and Miss Allin does not 
know what it is, we send it off to the Botanical Depart- 
ment of the Agricultural College to be named. The 
professor there is always pleased to help us. 

At school we have had some interesting weed exami- 
nations. Miss Allin would hold up specimens for a 
moment and then we would write down their names. 
Or we would go outside and as we went about, write 
down the names of the plants that Miss AlHn would 
point out for us. It is pretty hard for her to catch us 
now with anything that we cannot recognize. We have 
had some good naming and spelling contests on Friday 



OUR WEEDS 



167 



afternoons also. As a rule the boys can beat the girls 
at naming, but the girls beat the boys in spelling. 

In the winter we had a few lessons with samples of 
clover seed. My father got them from the seed dealers 
in Lynden, and I brought them to school. We found 




V r 

A Few Clovers and Many Weeds are Represented Here 

o, alsike clover; &, white clover; c, red clover; d, yellow trefoil; e, 
Canada thistle; /, dock; g, sorrel; //, buckthorn; /, rat-tail plantain; 
k, lamb's quarters; /, shepherd's purse; w, mayweed; w, scentless camomile; 
0, white campion; p, night-flowering catch-fly; g, ox-eye daisy; r, small- 
fruited false flax; s, cinquefoil; /, two kinds of peppergrass; «, catnip; 
n, timothy; .r, chickweed; y, Canada bluegrass; z, clover dodder; /, mouse- 
ear chickweed; 2, knot-grass; j, tumbling amaranth; 4, rough amaranth; 
5, heal-all; 6, lady's thumb. 



that one of the samples had eight different kinds of 
weed seeds in it. Another had six, another had four, 
and the best of the samples had three. None of the 
samples was fit to sow on our farm. There would be 
thousands of weed seeds in a bushel. We didn't know 
the names of all the weed seeds, but found them by for- 



1 68 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

warding samples to the Agricultural College. The most 
abundant of the impurities were dodder, ox-eye daisy, 
common ragweed, buckhorn, wild carrot, black medick, 
worm seed mustard, and pigweed. Father decided to 
send away and get guaranteed seed. He had to pay a 
high price for it, but he considers it cheaper to do that 
than to fight bad weeds. 

I do not suppose there is any place or any farm in the 
world that has not its share of weeds. The Stony Plain 
School district has its full share. I know that. We have 
to keep fighting them. That seems to be part of a farmer's 
job. But knowing them when one sees them and under- 
standing their habits give one a great advantage in the 
fight. I feel that my weed studies at school will help 
me now to keep this enemy under control, and it makes 
work more interesting, too, when one is thinking about 
the things he is working with. 

Suggestions 

1. If the school carries on correspondence with a school in another part 
of the country or in another country, it wiU be interesting to exchange 
specimens of weeds as well as wild flowers. 

2. Send to Washington and your State Agricultural CoUege for Weed 
Bulletins. Articles from the agricultural papers might be cut out and 
pasted on the back of the weed mounts or on other sheets of paper that will 
fit the portfolio. 

3. For a reference collection for school use, selections of the best mounts 
made by individual pupils should be donated. Likewise the school col- 
lection of weed seeds should be a souvenir of the work of different pupils. 
The recollections should be kept in a cupboard or a drawer where they will 
be safe. 

4. For your school fair, an interesting event is a weed-naming contest. 
Sometimes this is combined with the naming of varieties of apples, species 
of grasses, trees from specimen leaves, kinds of grain, etc. When grown- 
ups can be prevailed upon to join the contest, there is usually more fun 
for the boys and girls. 



OUR WEEDS 



169 



5. If several pupils in a school are mounting specimens of weeds for 
collections, it is advisable to buy a supply of suitable paper sufficient for 
all cut to a uniform size. The standard plant-mount paper is a white 
ledger paper, 112 inches wide and 16 j inches long. For ordinary col- 
lections, however, a strong, heavy manila paper will suit better, and a 
sheet the same dimensions as letter note paper is more suitable for keeping 
in a handy portfolio. 




CHAPTER XXII 



Our Insect Studies — The Elmvale School Learns of 
the Farmer's Friends and Enemies 



..^. 








lf^^s^:fWC^f^^v 



Some of the farmer's worst enemies and some of his best friends are 
insects. He should know his enemies and their ways so that he may not 
be harmed. It is important, too, that he should appreciate his friends. 
This knowledge on the one hand leads to safety and on the other hand to 
intelligent friendship. 

Scientists estimate that there are more than a million different species 
of insects in the world. What a great field for Nature Study! Fortu- 
nately, aU of these are not found in America. We have enough now, 
at any rate, of the enemy sort — bugs and beetles, mosquitos and flies, 
moths and plant Hce. 

This is the story of a few insect studies in the Ehnvale 
School. 

School work had not proceeded very far last September 
before our new teacher had us interested in studying 
insects. Miss Robinson was interested herself. I sup- 
pose that is the reason. She had attended the Teachers' 



OUR INSECT STUDIES 



171 






USE LONG CORK. 
QUININt BOTTLE.S 
nAVL WlDt NE,CK5 

THE CYANIDE. MAY 
BECOveRED BY 
COTTON BATTING 
MELD DOWN BY A 
PERFORATED 
CARDBOARD WAD 

•PLASTER OF PARI5 

P0TAS51UM CYANIDE 



IN SPREADING 
THE WINGS 
INSERT THE 

PIN P0INT5 
BEHIND 

THE VEINS 

DO NOT PUT TnE 
PIN5 TMROUGn 
THE \VIN&5 nERE 
INSERT THEM 
ATTHE VING 
E06ES 




UTTERFLV5 
WING-SPREAD 

AND HELD 

IN POSITIOM 

w iTri 

nOURNING PIN5 

n 

5TR1P5 OFSTiFF 
PAPER SET WITH 
THREE PINS.HOLO 
WINGS IN PLACt 
UNTIL DRY ANO 
3E.T 

LOCUSTS NAY 

HAVE THE WINGS 

OF ONE SIDE ONLY 

SPREAD 



Insect Net, Cyanide Bottle, Butterfly Stretching Board, 
and Collection of Insects 



172 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Summer School at the Agricultural College in July and 
made a beginning in the study. She had learned just 
enough about the subject, she said, to want to learn more. 
And she asked us to help her. As this meant to some 
extent the use of her insect net and killing bottle, there 
was no lack of offers of assistance especially from the 
boys. The subject was not merely a study — it was a 
sport! 

Miss Robinson had begun to make a small collection 
at the Summer School, and she wanted to add to it. She 
showed us how the net was used and explained how the 
deadly cyanide fumes were produced in the killing bottle. 
It was not very long before Rudolph Swartz had made 
a net for himself. He was a keen "bug-hunter," as we 
called him. He had a killing bottle also made at the 
drug store in Clarenceville under the teacher's directions 
and started a small collection for himself. Miss Robin- 
son encouraged him to do so and introduced him to her 
Insect Book to read about the common specimens he 
would find. The book soon became quite popular in 
the school, as something was being reported nearly every 
day that some one would want to read about. 

Our first lessons were on the Monarch Butterfly. Of 
course we didn't know that was the name of the insect 
until the teacher told us. These butterflies are common 
enough, and some of us had often chased them, but we 
did not know their name. That's one of the interesting 
things about Nature Study. One learns the names of a 
great many common plants and animals. 

One day Miss Robinson asked us to take a good look 
at milkweeds for green worms, and if we found any, to 
bring them to school with some leaves. The next morn- 



OUR INSECT STUDIES 173 

ing there were no less than twelve worms brought in. 
Rudolph Swartz had five of them to his credit. He has 
sharp eyes. Miss Robinson put two of them in a lantern 
chimney that she borrowed from Mrs. Rodgers, at whose 
place she boards. She tied cheese cloth over the top and 
in a Httle bottle of water set bits of the milkweed for the 
worms to feed on. The other worms were distributed 
among us to take home. 

We watched them eating and growing for a few days, 
and then one morning when we came to school we found 




Monarch Butterfly 

the most beautiful chrysalis, as the teacher called it, 
hanging from the top of the chimney. The next morning 
the other had changed, too, and some of the pupils reported 
the same about their specimens at home. I don't think 
I ever saw anything that had such a beautiful green color, 
and there were bright gold spots on it. We kept watch- 
ing from day to day and were disappointed to notice 
the beautiful color disappearing. Each chrysaHs seemed 
to be shrinking too. But in about twelve days we saw 



174 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



the birth of the butterfly. It was wonderful to think 
that the beautiful Monarch could come from the green 
worm that lived on the common milkweed. There was 
great surprise in the homes as well as in the school. Mrs. 
Swartz often speaks of it even yet. 

Miss Robinson killed one of the butterflies in her 
cyanide bottle, as she wanted it for her collection. Some 

of the girls thought 



it was cruel, but Miss 
Robinson explained 
the value of having 
specimens to study 
closely. She showed 
us the curled tongue 
and the scales that 
covered the wings. 
Afterwards she showed 
us how to spread the 
specimen on a stretch- 
ing board. We made 
a drawing of it too. 
She cautioned us to be careful not to kill beneficial insects 
or beautiful, harmless ones like the Monarch needlessly. 
But, she said, we need never hesitate about killing harm- 
ful kinds Uke potato bugs or mosquitos. None of us 
needed to be told that. 

Our next lessons were on what is perhaps the com- 
monest and the most harmful insect in the world — the 
house fly. The weather was still warm, and there 
were lots of specimens to be seen. Miss Robinson asked 
us to notice carefully different things about them. One 
day we discussed what they fed on and how they fed. 




The Needed Screen Door 



OUR INSECT STUDIES 175 

Another day we reported on their color, shape, and size, 
the number of legs and wings, whether they were smooth 
or hairy, etc. Miss Robinson let us have her magnify- 
ing glass to see the eyes and feelers. It is surprising 
what can be seen with a magnifying glass. It was so 
interesting that we borrowed the glass at noon and re- 
cess to look at all sorts of things. 

Our lessons on the fly showed us how necessary it is 
to prevent it from breeding and getting into houses to 
scatter germs. I think there will be more screen doors 
and windows used next year in our district than there 
are now. Some people are very careless. They do not 
seem to be a bit bothered with thousands of flies swarm- 
ing over everything — even on their tables. Calling it 
the Typhoid Fly, as we are doing, should turn people into 
"fly-swatters." 

We have learned a good deal about bees too. Most 
of us did not know much more about them than that they 
stung. A few of us knew a Kttle more about bumble 
bees, for we had robbed their nests. We are not so 
proud about our knowledge though, or the way in which 
we acquired it, now that we know how useful bumble 
bees are. Miss Robinson asked us first to find out what 
we could about them just from watching them work 
among flowers. There were lots of goldenrod and Wild 
Asters along the roadside, so we had good chances to see 
them every day. 

There were honey bees, belonging to Mr. Howes, as 
well as bumble bees. After discussing what we observed 
for one Nature Study lesson, we had a closer look at a 
few specimens which Rudolph captured. Miss Robin- 
son's magnifying glass came into good use again, though 



176 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 




we could see a good deal without it. I think the thing 
most wonderful to me was to see the hairs that grow in 
their eyes. I did not know that bees had little jaws or 
that they had two pairs of wings. It 
was interesting to have a chance of 
making a close acquaintance with the 
sting without any unpleasantness. 
Perhaps the thing that interested the 
class most was the tongue with its 
protecting shields. 
We followed up our school studies by a visit to Mr. 
Howes' place on a Friday afternoon. He is the only 
person in the neighborhood who keeps bees. His farm 
is about a mile from the school. He was very proud to 
be asked by Miss Robinson to let her bring up her senior 
classes. There were eight of us altogether who went. 



Head and Eyes of a 
Honey Bee 




Drone. Queen 



Mr. Howes is an old man about sixty. He has no chil- 
dren coming to school, but he seemed to be very glad to 
have us visit him. He is a great admirer of bees and 
thinks they are the most wonderful creatures. He 
showed us everything about a hive. We stood back 
quite a respectable distance at first, but gradually went 
up closer as we became bolder. Mr. Howes puffed 
plenty of smoke amongst the bees from his bee-smoker, 



OUR INSECT STUDIES 177 

SO we were quite safe. He found the queen for us and 
showed us drones. We were shown broods of different 
ages and had everything explained to us. We asked a 
great many questions. 

Miss Robinson was very much interested. She says 
she thinks that some day she will keep bees herself. I 
believe some of the rest of us may, when we get older, 
for we are certainly interested in them. It was not hard 
to write our compositions next week. The subject was 
"A Visit to an Apiary." We are inserting the compo- 
sitions in our Rural Science Note Books. 

Our last "insect-stunt," as Bert Stivers names it, 
has been a hunt. There has been a great deal of excite- 
ment over it. One day Miss Robinson showed us some 
odd-shaped masses that she found on the twigs of wild 
cherry growing alongside the fence in front of Raster's 
farm. She explained to us what they were and urged us 
to gather all we could find and destroy them. None of us 
had any idea that they were the eggs that produced the 
ugly worms that made so many apple trees in the neigh- 
borhood unsightly and did so much damage. When I 
told Father about it that evening, he said he would give a 
dollar for prizes to be divided among those who collected 
the greatest number. The next morning I explained the 
plan to Miss Robinson, and she said she would add an- 
other dollar. When the people of the district heard of 
the contest, as they soon did, more money was offered, 
until the prize fund amounted to six dollars. 

To make the division fair to every one who collected, 
the teacher decided to take one dollar and divide it into 
40, 30, 20 and lo-cent special prizes for the four highest 
scores. Then the remaining five dollars was to be divided 



178 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

among all the pupils, including the highest four, in pro- 
portion to the number of clusters gathered by each. 
Rules were made, and every one promised to play fair. 
There was not the least sign of any bad feeling through- 
out the two months of the competition; we were all 
made better friends, for we felt we were working to- 
gether for the good of our neighborhood. 

It was a great success. There won't be many apple 
tree tent caterpillars in this neighborhood next spring 
I am thinking. Every Monday the weekly collections 
were brought in, counted, scored, and added to our pile. 
Miss Robinson kept the scores, and it was not known 
until the very last day how each stood. One of the rules 
was that we would not tell one another our scores. Of 
course, we could tell fairly well from the size of the weekly 
"catch," but we did not know exactly. The last day 
there was great excitement when the totals were an- 
nounced. It is hard to believe, but we had gathered 
31,640 clusters. 

Then there was great interest in calculating the share- 
of the prize money. Everybody got a prize — no one 
was disappointed. As most of us expected, Rudolph 
came first. He had gathered 2264 clusters. With the 
special prize of 40 cents and, ^Wo of $5.00, his prize 
amounted to 75 cents. Little Catherine Stivers got 11 
cents. She was as proud as Rudolph. This seems to 
me a very fair way to divide prize money. 

Suggestions 

I. Procure a copy of Comstock's Insect Life for your school library and 
send to the Department of Agriculture for bulletins. Add other insect 
books from time to time as the interest in reading about insect life grows. 




Much Maqnified 



t''-^ ■*'" 






'- ^*l.i 




xA 



r^ -J 




Larva 



^■^. \^^*, 



^#^ San Jose Scale 




Infested Pear Twig 

Maqnified 



Face p. 178 




In Grasshopper Time 



OUR INSECT STUDIES 179 

Sanderson's Insects of Field, Farm, and Garden and Weed's Farm Friends 
and Farm Foes are good books to have in a school. 

2. If specially interested in butterflies — and a great many people are — 
procure a copy of the small Butterfly Guide Book by Reed. It is a com- 
panion book to his Bird Guide and has colored pictures of our common 
butterflies. 

3. Arrange for a visit to a local apiary for a practical lesson on bee- 
keeping. Find out if your district is considered to have enough bees to 
fertilize the orchards and collect the honey available in buckwheat, clover, 
basswood, and wild flowers. If not crowding the territory too much, 
make a start in bee-keeping. 

4. Paste in your Rural Science Note Book interesting newspaper cHp- 
pings that deal with insects. Insert also drawings of insects made at 
school and compositions that may be written on such subjects as the House 
Fly, the Mosquito, the Cabbage Butterfly, after making a study of these 
insects. 

5. Though mites are not, strictly speaking, insects (they have four 
pairs of legs and belong to the same class of animals as spiders), make a 
special study of these poultry pests and learn the best methods of control- 
ling them. It is a shame to allow poultry to be infested with them. 

6. Organize a fly-swatting campaign in your neighborhood, or what 
is better, a screen-door and window campaign. Simple homemade win- 
dow screens can be made cheaply by the boys. Wire can be bought by 
the roU for this purpose. 

7. If the school has a good cabinet in which to keep it, a collection of 
common insects might very weU be made by the pupils. But a collection 
that cannot be well kept and which wiU likely be neglected and destroyed, 
should not be made. 

8. In making individual collections, pupils should pay special atten- 
tion to harmful insects and if possible have the life histories represented. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

Our Health — The Plans of the Booneville School for 
Making Boys and Girls Well and Strong 




Wliat would you think of a person who carelessly allowed a valuable 
farm that he had received from his parents to slip through his fingers? 

Many who have lost their health would give more than a farm to 
regain it. 

Good health is one of the priceless treasures of life. 

If you have it, guard it well, for your usefulness and your happiness 
depend upon it. 

Poor health is frequently due to ignorance. Sometimes it is traceable 
to poverty. You must learn to fight against those evils. 

Accidents may be the cause of impaired health and strength, or may 
even result in death. Learn to avoid them or to deal with them properly 
if they should occur. 

The country needs- healthy boys and girls. 

For your country's sake and for your own sake, Be Strong. 
Ke,ep Well! 



OUR HEALTH i8i 

I think it must be because she herself is not very strong 
that our teacher, Miss Jepson, has taken so much interest 
in our lessons in hygiene. She knows the value of good 
health, or rather, she knows the disadvantages of poor 
health. She has never missed any day's teaching since 
she commenced her work in our school last fall, but she 
must often have felt like staying at home. You see, 
she is very plucky. She also takes the best possible care 
of herself and so keeps at work steadily. Often she says 
to some of the older girls, when she chats with us, "Take 
care of your health, girls. Good health is a priceless 
possession." 

Our neighborhood is not considered unhealthy. We 
have a fair share of people who live to be past their three 
score and ten. Old Mr. Shoultz, Menno's grandfather, 
is eighty- two, and as active and bright as most men at 
sixty. The doctor never made much from him. Old 
Mrs. Lynch is the most famous of our sickly people. 
She has had almost every sickness imaginable, and can 
talk about them by the day — if any one will listen. But 
few care for this kind of health talk. There is a good 
deal of rheumatism among the older people. One family 
has suffered several losses from consumption in the past 
ten years. 

Miss Jepson not only looks after her own health, but 
she guards ours while we are at school. For accidents 
she keeps what she calls an "emergency kit" in her 
desk. She has shown this to us and explained its uses. 
It contains a small bottle of disinfectant, a roll of bandag- 
ing, some absorbent cotton, and carron oil. The kit 
has frequently come into use. One day last winter 
Lloyd Harris burned his hand pretty badly on the stove. 



i82 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

The carron oil was applied, and the pain was soothed 
very quickly. Only a few weeks ago little Harry Scott 
cut his foot on a piece of glass in front of the school. We 
had a fine lesson on disinfecting and bandaging while 
watching Miss Jepson attend to poor Harry. Some of 
us helped her, of course. It was hard on Harry to have 
the wound cleaned of every trace of dirt, but he stood 
the ordeal bravely. We have learned how to treat nose 
bleeding too. That occurs pretty often. 

Her care extends beyond accidents. If any one can- 
not see easily what is on the blackboard, she makes him 
go up' close to read it. Edwin Stark seemed to be short- 
sighted, and had to do this before he got his glasses. 
She also believes in having fresh air. At recess she gives 
the school a good airing, and she has arranged boards 
under two of the windows so that fresh air can flow in. 
When any pupils reach the school with wet feet and wet 
clothes, she sends them home, for she says that one day's 
schooling lost in this way is better than a week lost from 
a bad cold and the possibility of having more than a 
cold. She is more like a mother to us than a teacher. 
When she notices signs of sickness coming on any one, 
such as a flushed face or a headache, she generally sends 
him home with a note to his mother, or goes home with 
him after school is dismissed. It is no wonder every one 
likes Miss Jepson. 

I think every one enjoys the lessons on Health. The 
information we gather from them is as valuable as the 
knowledge we gain in studying Geography or History. 
Miss Jepson often lets us suggest the topic ourselves, 
and we generally choose something that is commonly 
talked of at the time. When the outbreak of infantile 



OUR HEALTH 183 

paralysis occurred in some of our larger cities, we dis- 
cussed that disease for a lesson. When Will Moore 
came home from Camden feehng unwell and developed 
typhoid fever, we had a talk on the cause and treatment 
of that disease. When our soldiers were getting ready 
to go overseas to fight in France, we read articles that 
told how their health was guarded and how they were 
treated when sick or wounded. This made two very 
interesting lessons. A number of pictures were shown 
of first aid, hospitals, ambulances, and nurses. 

In preparing our lessons we use two Health Readers 
and a book on Home Nursing that are in our school 
library. They are very good for simple matters. We 
get as much or more information also from papers and 
magazines, or by asking questions at home. 

To direct our studies Miss Jepson has put a hst of 
Health Topics on our bulletin board. There seems to 
be no end to the things that concern one's health. These 
are the topics : — 

School Sanitation Children's Diseases 

Ventilation Measles 

Heating Whooping Cough 

Lighting Scarlet Fever 

Seating Chicken Pox 

Cleaning Diphtheria 

Disinfecting Infantile Paralysis 

Home Sanitation Health Rules Governing 

Location of Home Eating 

Ventilation and Heating Drinking 

Water Supply Sleeping 

Value of Sunlight Resting 

Disposal of Refuse Working 

Protection against Fhes Playing 

Protection against Mosquitoes Travelling 



1 84 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



Reading 


Personal Hygiene 


Breathing 


Care of Teeth 




Care of Eyes 


Home Nursing 


Care of Ears 


Diets 


Care of Hands 


Cooking for Patients 


Care of Finger Nails 


Care of Sick Room 


Cleanliness of Body 


Poultices 


Cleanliness of Clothing 


Care of Babies 




Care of Old People 


Accidents 


Bandaging 
Treatment of Burns 


Nose-bleeding 
Cuts 


Treatment for Tuberculosis 


Stings 


Treatment of Colds 


Sprained Ankle 


Medicines 


Choking 
Fainting 


Disinfectants 


Poisoning 


Salves and Ointments 


Rusty Nails 


Common Medicinal Herbs 


Apparent Drowning 


A Home Medicine Chest 


How to handle Firearms 


Patent Medicines 


Clothes on Fire 


Care with Poisons 


Specks in Eye 


Community Sanitation 


Wonders of Modern Medicine 


Duties of District Health Officers 


Anaesthetics 
Surgery 
X-Rays 
Radium 


Duties and Powers of Board of Health 
Laws relating to Outbreaks of Disease 


Protecting Water Supplies 
Work of Public Health Nurse 


Inoculations 
Skin Grafting 




Bone Grafting 


Scourges 




Tuberculosis 


Habits 


Cholera 


Use of Tobacco 


Bubonic Plague 


Use of x\lcohol 


YeUow Fever 


Use of Coffee 


Smallpox 


Use of Tea 


Spanish Influenza 


Use of Drugs 



We had a good deal of fun the day we discussed patent 
medicines. If some of the proprietors could have heard 



OUR HEALTH 185 

the praises that were given their wares, they very likely 
would have paid a good price for them as advertisements. 
On the other hand, there were things said about other kinds 
that were not very compHmentary. Including salves, 
lotions, and cough syrups, we made a Hst of thirty-five 
different sorts that were used more or less in the neigh- 
borhood. Miss Jepson did not take much part in the 
discussion. She expressed the opinion, though, that there 
was a great deal of money wasted in buying such medi- 
cines. 

Our Health Debates, as we called them, have been 
interesting. Our first one was on the subject: Resolved, 
that health is more to he desired than wealth. Marion 
Maitland was the leader of the affirmative side and Jack 
Christie the leader of the negative. Marion's side won. 

Our second debate was on the subject: Resolved, that 
life in the country is safer and healthier than life in the 
city. It seems strange, but the negative side had a few 
more arguments in favor of the city than the affirmative 
had for the country. We are busy now collecting all 
the proverbs that are known in the neighborhood con- 
cerning health. My mother told me a funny one a few 
days ago that she often heard her mother use about 
any child who was dehcate, "He'U never scratch an 
old head." 

Tuesday we had our lesson on the treatment of the 
apparently drowned. There was a good deal of merri- 
ment at first. Miss Jepson wanted to show us in a 
practical way how a drowned person should be handled, 
and called for a volunteer. The boys were shy, but at 
last Menno Shoultz consented to lie down and be "oper- 
ated" upon. It was really funny to see him grinning 



i86 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



and winking while supposedly he was having the water 
jerked out of his lungs and the air pumped in. But 
though it was funny, I do not think we shall forget the 
lesson. Miss Jepson thinks every person should learn 
to swim. 

There was a good deal of excitement in the school in 
the spring over our health inspection. It was arranged 
for by the Women's Institute of the county. At one 

of their meetings during the 
winter a district health of- 
ficer had given an address 
on the care of school chil- 
dren's health. He explained 
how school authorities were 
dealing with the matter in 
many places, and how our 
county might make a be- 
ginning. He suggested that 
a few schools join together 
and have a test inspection 
in the spring. 

Mrs. Stevens, Jessie's mother, was at the meeting. 
As Jessie has had a good deal of trouble with her teeth, 
and, besides, does not see very well, she was naturally 
interested and promised to bring the subject before our 
Mothers' Club. She was appointed one of the com- 
mittee to arrange for carrying out the scheme. 

The Mothers' Club was strongly in sympathy with 
the project. The discussion showed that there was 
much need of doing something. Many of the young 
people in the district had paid dearly for neglecting the 
care of their teeth. There were also four deaf people 




First Aid for the Drowning- 

Getting Water 

out of the Lungs 



OUR HEALTH 187 

and several who had to wear glasses. Many of the older 
people were sufferers from bad teeth and poor health 
generally. Every one seemed to realize that this was a 
good chance to save the children in the school trouble 
and expense in the future. The Club voted $5.00 for 
our school's share in the expenses. The trustees were 
wilhng to have the inspection take place. Mr. Scott 
and one or two others offered to share in the expenses 
themselves. 

Five other schools agreed to the scheme. The county 
committee arranged with Dr. Bancroft of Denfield to 
make the inspection. Miss Harvey, an experienced 
school nurse, was secured from Amherst to help Dr. 
Bancroft. For our school the inspection was announced 
for Monday morning, May 17. 

The pupils looked forward to the inspection with 
different feeHngs. Some of the little folks were a bit 
frightened. We all were curious. A few of our mothers 
came, and Mr. Scott represented the trustees. Dr. 
Bancroft was very nice; so was Miss Harvey. We were 
examined one by one. There was nothing very dreadful 
about it. The doctor was quite jocular with us, and 
Miss Harvey helped to make us feel at ease. 

They examined our teeth and throats first. Then 
they tested our eyes and hearing. What they noted, 
they put down on a printed paper. Our school gave a 
pretty good account of itself. While there were a great 
many defects found, there were not so many as in some 
of the other schools. The report on the sLx schools was 
printed; this is it: 



1 88 RURAL SCIENCE READER 





Children examined 


With defects 


Booneville School 


22 


15 


ParkhiU School 


27 


20 


Craighurst School 


18 


15 


Strathdale School 


36 


29 


Bradfield School 


36 


30 


Hampstead School 


20 


16 


Total 


159 


125 Percentage 78.6 



There were no serious defects found. At least, they 
were not so serious that they could not be remedied. 
Edwin Stark's eyes, as we all knew, were not right. The 
doctor said he should get glasses right away, and he now 
wears them. Jessie Stevens, too, needed glasses. One 
of little Harry Scott's ears had something wrong with 
it. The doctor explained it to Mr. Scott, who took Harry 
to town the next day to see the doctor. Ten of us had 
bad teeth that needed attention. Marion IMaitland 
and Mabel Christie had adenoids. Bert Christie had 
enlarged tonsils. 

Our Health Inspection has accomplished a great deal 
of good. Nearly all of us have been taken to doctors 
or dentists and had our defects attended to. We shall 
have better teeth, better sight, and better hearing than 
we should have had if there had been no inspection. It 
has made people more interested in our school, too. This 
helps Miss Jepson in her work. 

Suggestions 

1. Invite your local health officer or the public health nurse to give 
you a talk at your school. If a former pupil of your school who has trained 
as a nurse should be visiting at her old home, ask her also to address you. 

2. Calculate the losses to the effective service of your school which re- 
sult from sickness. Compare the number of days of absence with the 
total days of attendance. Find the percentage of loss. 



OUR HEALTH 189 

3. Some women's organizations arrange to bring country pupils who 
have to have simple operations for tonsils or adenoids to a central village 
or town on a certain day, and to have a special doctor and nurse operate 
on them. 

4. Purchase an emergency kit for your school, and learn to make 
use of it. For your home arrange for a convenient shelf or cabinet to keep 
similar appliances. Take special care to protect against the wrong use 
of poisons. 

5. Help to make things sanitary about your school. Do not leave 
anything about that will attract flies. Arrange for a covered garbage 
can. Keep the outbuildings clean and disinfected. Protect the drinking 
supply. Have you individual drinking cups? Have you a wash basin 
and sanitary paper towels? 

6. Make yourselves acquainted with the laws that govern attendance 
at school in case of an outbreak of an infectious disease in your home. 
What are the duties and the powers of the district medical health officer? 
As a good citizen who has regard for the well-being of his neighbors, hp 
loyal to the health laws of your state. 

7. If there is a children's hospital in your state, take a practical in- 
terest in it. Some schools take up a collection once a year or give part of 
the proceeds of a school concert, to such an institution. Some send gifts 
of flowers, picture books, playthings, or dolls' dresses to the little patients. 
If there is a pupil from your school away at a hospital, do not forget him; 
write to him and send him treats. 

8. Teachers and pupils may have an interesting lesson in testing eye- 
sight by means of simple charts. Who has the best sight in the school? 
Hearing tests carried out with the pupils blindfolded and a watch held at 
different distances from each ear are also of value. Who has the acutest 
hearing? Who has the soundest teeth? 



CHAPTER XXIV 



Our School Savings Bank — Page Crossing School Becomes a 
Partner with Uncle Sam in Money Saving 



THRIFT CARD 



Take good CAre of your 7/?/'^ Card. If your Thr/ff Stamps are on sJe ^t post offices, 
Thrift Card \'Ao^ t tie money paid for stamps b^nks, trust companies. And blnereiutnor- 

can not be recovered. izecl agencies. 

A Vn-^ Qnly25.cent U5.Governn,cnt Tf>n/t S/^frtfiJ ,n 5pe.c<-a bdoW- Do nor use Posfage Sr^mps 




Your second stAmp here. 



The first principle of money- 
m&king IS money saving. 



Dont pur off till 
to-morrow. 



9 

Manyiliffle 
mikes A middle. 


15 
S&ve&nd h&ve. 


10 

Saving create^ 
Independence. 


14 

Great o&ks from lirde 
Acorni grow. 







Your country invites you to save money, makes it easy for you to do 
so, and allows you interest as long as it has the use of your savings. Either 
the Post Office Department or the Treasury Department will be your 
banker. 

You are urged to be saving not only because your country wants to have 
the use of your surplus money, but also because it wants you to be a thrifty 
citizen. People who save make good citizens. People who waste are a 
weakness to the nation. 

The savings of the people are the wealth of the nation. 

The world does not like mean, grasping, stingy people, but it honors 
those who make themselves independent by the patient practice of saving. 

Learn to earn, learn to spend, learn to save, learn to lend to your Gov- 
ernment — and do not neglect to give! 

The Page Crossing School v^as trained in saving habits 
before the necessities of the war brought forth the cam- 
paigns to buy War Savings and Thrift Stamps. We 



OUR SCHOOL SAVINGS BANK 



191 



are rather proud of ourselves, thinking that we have been 
so progressive. For two years our school was loaning 
its savings to the Government before there was a 
national appeal. Our teacher is to be thanked for this. 
When ]Miss Bonner came to our district she went to 
board at the Ritter's. Mr. and Mrs. Ritter were people 
who had been brought up to be saving, and they were 
trying to train their children in the same habit. Nothing 
that might be of use was ever wasted either in the house 
by Mrs. Ritter or on the farm by Mr. Ritter. The 
cliildren were required to be careful of their clothes, of 
their shoes, and even of their school books. No one was 
allowed to escape cleaning his plate at the table. 

Mr. Ritter had a saying, "Keep a thing for seven 
years, and you will find a use for it," and certainly it 
seemed to be true with him. He was always able to 
find something with which to make repairs, whether it 
was a bolt for some macliine or a piece of leather for 
broken harness. And just as the house showed Mrs. 
Ritter's good care and management, the farm with its 
well-kept fences and gates, its neat buildings, its thrifty 
Hvestock, and its carefully stored machinery showed 
that Mr. Ritter was a man of ideals. 

All the children, except the baby, had savings banks. 
Fred, who was eleven, had gathered together nearly 
nine dollars. Nina, who was nine, had over four dollars, 
and Bertha, who was six, had quite a respectable pile 
of pennies. The children were naturally proud of their 
savings and interested Miss Bonner in telling her how 
they had gathered them. 

Mr. and Mrs. Ritter did not believe in giving their 
children money without its being earned in some way. 



192 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Fred had been allowed five cents a week when he was 
eight for helping with the chores, and this had been raised 
to ten when he was nine, fifteen when he was ten, and 
now he was getting twenty cents a week. Out of this 
he had to buy his school books and give to the Sunday 
School. Nina had been given the same allowances as 
Fred by her mother for helping in the house work. 

Miss Bonner herself had been brought up to be sav- 
ing, and as a teacher believed in it as a good training for 
children. She talked the matter over with Mr. Ritter, 
who was one of the school trustees, and found him 
favorable to making it part of the school work. There 
was no difficulty in getting the community interested. 
Miss Bonner explained her plans at a mothers' meeting, 
and all the women approved of it heartily and promised 
to support her. 

Mr. Ritter secured the consent of the other school 
trustees to trying the scheme. Their plan was to en- 
courage the children to buy postal sa\'ings cards and 
stamps and start accounts in the Post Office Savings 
Bank. Mr. Ritter offered to give the free use of ten 
dollars to enable Miss Bonner to keep a supply of the 
cards and stamps on hand for sale in the school. The 
other trustees thought, however, that it was only fair 
that the district's money should be used for this purpose, 
as it was for the welfare of the school. Accordingly 
ten dollars of the school funds was loaned to Miss Bonner 
to enable her to carry on her scheme at the Page Crossing 
School. 

From the beginning the undertaking was a success. 
It could not fail to be such when all the patrons of the 
school were sympathetic and Miss Bonner was enthu- 



OUR SCHOOL SAVINGS BANK 193 

siastic. She invited Mr. Carson, the postmaster at 
Middletown, to come to the school one Friday after- 
noon and tell about the Postal Savings System and ex- 
plain how our school could play its part in our Govern- 
ment's plans to encourage thrift. The next Monday 
morning when ''Our Bank," as we called it, opened, Miss 
Bonner sold seven savings cards and twenty-three sav- 
ings stamps. Every boy and girl who was old enough 
became a partner with "Uncle Sam" in saving money. 
For nearly two years the work went on successfully. 
There was never a Monday morning that at least two 
or three and sometimes seven or eight did not buy stamps. 
Just as soon as the boys and girls reached ten years of 
age, they turned their savings into the School Bank. 
Our deposits altogether totalled over two hundred dol- 
lars up to the close of 191 7. 

When the War Sa\angs and Thrift Stamp campaign 
opened, it did not take us long to take up the challenge. 
We were already trained in saving. Our Post Ofhce 
Savings deposits were exchanged for Savings Stamps, 
and our new savings were used to purchase Thrift 
Stamps. We have done better in this than we did in the 
Post Ofhce Savings, for there has been much enthusiasm 
throughout the neighborhood. I think every one in 
the Page Crossing School District is represented in 
some way as a financial partner of the Government. 
The school alone has loaned over five hundred dollars to 
"Uncle Sam" — without counting the bonds that were 
bought for some of the children by their fathers. That 
is pretty good for one Httle country school, isn't it? It 
makes us feel proud to be able to help our country in 
these ways. 



194 RURAL SCIENCE READER 



THE UNITED STATES POSTAL 
SAVINGS SYSTEM - 

Is a valuable aid in the practice of 
ECONOMY AND THRIFT 



Deposits are absolutely safe. 

Any person ten years old or over may open an account. 

A married woman may deposit in her own name. 

One dollar will open an interest-bearing account. 

Any number of dollars may be deposited, and at any time, until 
the balance to the credit of the depositor amounts to $i,ooo. 

Interest at the rate of two per cent a year is allowed. 

Savings cards and savings stamps may be purchased at ten cents 
each. 

Deposits may be exchanged for United States bonds of small de- 
nominations. 

Withdrawals may be made at any time. 

Call at the post office for additional information. 

A. M. DOCKERY, 
Third Assistant Postmaster General. 



Suggestions 

1. How much has your school loaned to the Government? Keep a 
record on the bulletin board of the growth of the amount from month to 
month. 

2. Make a study of the different War Loans made by the Government. 
Borrow copies of different bonds and examine these in class. 

3. Calculate the interest on the amounts paid for War Savings Stamps 
to prove the correctness of the statement that they return 4 per cent com- 
pounded. 

4. Let the pupils send to the Division of Postal Savings, Post Office 
Department, Washington, or call at the nearest post ofSce that receives 
savings, for information. Study your country's plans for encouraging 
thrift. 



OUR SCHOOL SAVINGS BANK 195 

5. If a nearby bank has an easily managed plan for receiving deposits 
from country schools, ask one of the bank officials to visit the school and 
help to organize your school for systematic saving if it is not already en- 
gaged in this enterprise in some other way. 

6. Add to your school library some books which deal with saving, 
such as Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, Waste Not, Want Not Stories 
by Johnson, and Hozv Boys and Girls Can Earn Money, by Bowsfield. Per- 
haps you can get a good picture showing the advantages of thrift and the 
dangers of waste. 

7. Invite a speaker to address your school on earning, spending, and 
saving money. Through the Farmers' Club encourage fathers to allow 
children a share in the profits from their work in keeping chickens, raising 
a pig, feeding a calf, etc. Through the Home-makers' Club encourage 
the mothers to make the girls allowances and to allow them to assist in 
shopping and keeping of family accounts. 

8. Collect proverbs or old-fashioned sayings that are used in your 
community with reference to saving. Keep one of these printed on the 
blackboard and replace frequently. 

9. Correspond with another country school that has a savings bank 
and compare results and experiences. 

10. Invite an agent for insurance or some one who is well informed on 
the subject to explain the principles of life insurance, the buying of an- 
nuities, etc. 

11. Ask among the old people of your district for stories of the early 
settlers and their thriftiness. They will likely be able also to relate other 
stories of people who wasted fortunes, of others who needlessly got into 
debt and misused their opportunities to provide for an independent old 
age. 

12. Work out arithmetic problems which show how small savings in- 
crease by the compounding of interest, how profitable it is to care for farm 
machinery, how labor-saving appliances in the home save in time and 
energy, how doctor's bills may be saved by proper clothing or care. 

13. Do you keep an account of your personal expenses? You will find 
it worth while training yourself to do this, especially if you plan to put 
yourself through coUege or to save money to go into some line of business. 
How much did you spend last year? How much did you earn? How 
much did you save? How much did you give? 



CHAPTER XXV 

Our Home and School Club — The Franklin School Makes 
Progress when the Women of the District Join to Dis- 
cuss Educational Matters 




A country community has three great forces within and about it — the 
Home, the School, and the Church. 

Happy that community that has them bound together in the spirit of 
cooperation ! 

These three forces are very closely related. 

If there are good Homes, there will likely be a good School and a good 
Church. 

If the community has always had a good School, you may expect to 
find a good Church and good Homes. 

And if the Church has been the right kind, the Homes and the School 
will be almost assuredly the right kind. 

Good Homes, good Schools, and good Churches are the solid foundation 
for good Citizenship. 

A great many Home and School Clubs have been 
formed in different parts of our country and in other 



OUR HOME AND SCHOOL CLUB 197 

countries. We have had one of these in our district for 
the last two years. It has brought many benefits to the 
school and the neighborhood. 

It was started by our minister, Mr. Larsen. Before 
he went to college to study to be a preacher, Mr, Larsen 
taught school out west. He has always been interested 
in schools, and when he had charge of the church at 
Greenvale before coming here, took part in forming what 
was called a Parents' and Teachers' Association for the 
Greenvale School. 

Mr, Larsen had not been long among us before he called 
at the school. We all enjoyed his visit. He told us 
some interesting stories of his own school days and of 
his teaching experiences in Dakota. Miss O'Neill was 
our teacher then. I think she was very glad to find some 
one who was interested in the school. She had not 
been in the district very long and felt that the community 
did not concern itself very much about school matters. 
Certainly our school was not much to boast of. 

Our minister proved to be a good friend of the school 
in other ways. Wherever he visited, he always asked 
how the children were getting on at school, and if the 
chance came, heard some of them read or recite. At 
church, too, he did not forget the school. He looked on 
it, as he said, as the partner of his church. He began 
to make people think about the school more seriously 
than they had done. For the most regular attendance 
until Easter he offered two prizes of books, one for the 
winner among the boys and another for the girls. When 
he suggested to Miss O'Neill the forming of a Home and 
School Club, she readily agreed, for he promised to help 
her. They talked over the plans with several of the 



198 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

women of the district and every one seemed to be in 
favor of them. 

Accordingly, on Monday of the next week Miss O'Neill 
proposed to us that we have an At Home at the school on 
Friday. She explained her plan and asked us if we would 
help. Of course we all agreed. None of us had seen 
any of our grown-up friends at the school, but we thought 
they would enjoy coming if they were asked. We began 
at once to make preparations. AKce Gregory and my- 
self were to arrange for the invitations. Gladys Rudell 
and Dora Thomas were to see about decorating. The 
girls in grades four and five were to tidy up the school and 
the boys were to help in this and also clean up outside. 
We practiced two songs for the occasion. 

On Wednesday we sent out our invitations. Miss 
O'Neill showed us how to write them out and also how 
to make a simple little sketch Hke our school at the top 
of each. They looked very pretty. One was sent to 
every home in the district. Most of them were delivered 
by the pupils, but a few were put in the mail boxes. The 
men were not invited, as they were all too busy to come. 

Friday was a beautiful day. It was also a busy day 
in the school. At noon Gladys and Dora printed "Wel- 
come to FrankKn School" on the blackboard and ar- 
ranged a few bouquets on the teacher's desk and the 
window sills. Some of our maps and a few drawings 
were hung about the school. After dinner the boys 
carried over some chairs from Gregory's and the girls 
tidied up the school again. I don't think it had looked 
so clean for a great many years. We were all very proud 
of ourselves and our school. We wondered what our 
mothers and sisters would think. Shortly before three 



OUR HOME AND SCHOOL CLUB 199 

o'clock our guests began to arrive. Alice Gregory and 
Harry Taylor were the Reception Committee. Alice 
introduced Miss O'Neill to those who had not yet met 
her, and Harry showed them to seats. Almost every 
family in the district was represented. There were 
about twenty guests in all. Mr. Larsen was present, of 
course. Some of the visitors had not been in the school 




Miss O'Neill and the pupils of Franklin 
School extend a hearty invitation to Mrs. 
George Thomas and Miss Mary Thomas to 
an At Home to be held at the School on 
Friday afternoon at three o'clock. 

Franklin School 
October ist, igi^ 



since their school days. They all seemed to be interested 
and pleased with what they saw. I know from the way 
my mother looked that she was proud of our enterprise. 
Of course, I had been telHng her every day what we were 
doing. 

The program was quite simple. Miss O'Neill 
told the company that she was glad to see so many pres- 
ent. She had just wanted them to get acquainted with 



200 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

their own school and to see what kind of work it was 
doing. Then we sang one of our songs. Next a half 
hour was spent in reading, -spelling, and arithmetic. 
We had some fun over the mental arithmetic questions. 
Miss O'Neill asked the visitors to try them too. Only 
one or two of them could keep up with us and get the 
answers. We had been having a good deal of practice 
at this work and could figure as fast as Miss O'Neill 
could give us questions. Then we sang again and Miss 
O'Neill dismissed us for the day. Of course none of 
us went home. Some of us older girls remained in the 
school. The others played and waited about until our 
friends came out. 

In the school, after the neighbors had a chat and looked 
about at the maps and drawings, Miss O'Neill gave them 
a little talk. She explained that she would like to have 
them help her in her work. She could not do it alone. 
She wanted them to come to the school often and dis- 
cuss matters about the school and children's welfare. 
She then called on Mr. Larsen to explain what Home and 
School Clubs were and what work they could do. He 
pointed out how important the school was and how our 
school could be improved. He advised them to form a 
little Club and to cooperate with Miss O'Neill in every 
way possible. 

Every one thought it was a good idea. Mrs. Alderson 
moved that a Club be formed, Mrs. Thomas seconded 
the motion, and this was carried. Miss O'Neill then 
read the Constitution and By-laws that were used by 
other Clubs, and by another motion these were adopted. 
The election of officers then took place. My mother 
was made president; Mrs. Alderson, vice-president; 



OUR HOME AND SCHOOL CLUB 201 

Miss O'Neill, secretary- treasurer, and Mesdames Thomas, 
Gregory, Carruthers, and Snider, members of the com- 
mittee. Every part of the school district was represented 
by these. 

From the very beginning the meetings were a success. 
Every one seemed to enjoy coming to the school. The 
program that was carried out for the remainder of the 
first year was as follows: 

November — What the school aims to do : Mr. Larsen 

December — History of the Franklin School: Mrs. Alderson 

January — What we should do to improve our school: Mrs. Snider 

February — Children's health: Mrs. Gregory 

March — What I read about schools elsewhere: Miss O'Neill 

April — Health inspection of schools: Dr. Hepburn 

May — Report of county convention: Mrs. Dawson. 

Occasionally some of the men came to the meetings. 
When Dr. Hepburn spoke on the Medical Inspection of 
Schools, there was a large attendance. His meeting was 
arranged for the evening and was held at the church. 
People came from beyond the district to hear him. 

The Franklin Home and School Club did not merely 
hold meetings and talk. It also did things, or it got 
things done. Many improvements resulted. These did 
not come at once, but gradually. The Club has been in 
operation now for two years. In that time the school- 
house has been nicely painted inside and out. A new 
floor has been laid. This summer a new heating and 
ventilating system was put in. Half the school has 
been provided with new single desks. A school Hbrary 
has been started. A community bee was held to plant 
trees and level the grounds. 

There are other things to be done yet. And they very 
likely will be done, for the people are anxious to have a 



202 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

first rate school. If you could see our school next year you 
would likely find a new fence around the grounds and a 
cement sidewalk from the road to the front door. Per- 
haps you might find a piano in the school. 

It pays to have a Home and School Club in a district. 
I don't mean that it brings any one more money, but it 
brings other things that count for more than money. 

Constitution 

Name — This society shall be called the Franklin Home and School Club. 
Objects — The objects of the club shall be: 

A. To develop cooperation and sympathy between the Home and the 

School. 

B. To improve and beautify our school and its surroundings. 

C. To advance the all-round educational interests of the neighborhood. 

D. To foster the social spirit of the people in the community. 
Membership — Any person interested in the welfare of children and in 

their education shall be eligible for membership. 

By-Laws 

Officers — The officers of the Club shall be a President, Vice-President, a 

Secretary-Treasurer, and four others. 
Election of Officers ■ — The election of officers shall be held at the first 

meeting of the year. 
Meetings — Regidar meetings shall be held at 3 p.m. on the last Friday 

afternoon of each month from October until May, inclusive. Special 

meetings may be called by the E.xecutive Committee at any time. 
Dues — -The membership fee shall be twenty-five cents a year, payable at 

the first meeting of the year. 
Amendments — The Constitution and By-laws may be amended at any 

regular meeting by unanimous consent or by a majority, if notice 

has been given at a previous meeting. 
Affiliation — The Club may affiliate with any County or State Association 

of Home and School Clubs, or any organization having similar objects 

in view. Delegates may be appointed to attend the Annual Meetings 

of these. 



OUR HOME AND SCHOOL CLUB 203 

Order of Business 

1. Opening song or prayer 

2. Reading of minutes 

3. Business arising out of the minutes 

4. Reports of committees 

5. New business 

6. Program 

Suggestions 

1. Have your Club Secretary send reports of your Club Meetings to the 
local paper so that those who may not be present will be able to learn of 
the Club's activities. 

2. At the close of the Club's year, have a social meeting in the evening 
in cooperation with the School Trustees. Arrange for some good speaker 
who can arouse enthusiasm for better education. 

3. Affiliate with the other Home and School Clubs of your county or 
state. Send a delegate to the annual convention. Invite a representative 
of the State Association to address your Club. Subscribe for an educa- 
tional journal for your Club and circulate it among your members. 

4. On the day that the Home and School Club holds its meetings, 
arrange to have the school made specially attractive; for example, with 
fresh bouquets, the blackboard washed, the desks dusted, the windows 
cleaned, maps and drawings put up, a picture and a motto on the black- 
board, the book-shelves ticHed. 

5. Clubs should cooperate with the teacher and the school trustee in 
such matters as enlarged playgrounds; playground equipment; improve- 
ment of the school water supply, of the outbuildings, of the fences, of the 
school house outside and in; medical and dental inspection; pictures for 
the school; supervision of the school garden; school fair; school picnic; 
school excursion to the Agricultural College; selecting books for the school 
library; school music; purchasing a piano or graphophone; hot lunches 
for winter months. 



CHAPTER XXVI 

Our Literary Society — How the Young People of Town- 
send District Kept Growing and Developed their 
Abilities 




Education does not cease when one leaves school. 

Literary societies are a good means of continuing one's education. They 
make for a line community spirit also. 

Country schools may be well used by others than school children. 

The young people of the community may continue their education at 
them long after their regular school days are over. 

The country needs alert, progressive, young leaders who will continue 
to train themselves in literary, scientific, and economic subjects by read- 
ing, writing, and debating. 

A community whose young people cease to improve themselves is at 
a great disadvantage. 

A very successful Literary Society has been carried on 
during the past three years in our community, which is 
known as the Townsend District. Our school teacher 



OUR LITERARY SOCIETY 



205 



and Bert Austin, who has attended the Agricultural 
College for the last two years, have been the active 
leaders in it. Several others have developed into lead- 
ers also, so that the continuance of the Society is not 
dependent now on one or two. 

About fifteen years ago when the Clark family lived 
here there was a good Society carried on at the school, 
but after they moved away there did not seem to be any- 
body left to continue it. There always have to be leaders. 
Groups of young people used to meet occasionally in 
social gatherings during the winter, and some took part 
in church affairs, but there was no organization that 
brought in everybody until the Literary Society started. 

During the summer of 1916, Bert discussed the matter 
with several of his friends, and they agreed to help in 
any way they could, though most of them said they were 
afraid they could not be of much use. He told them 
how much benefit the students at the College had from 
taking part in their Hterary societies; some thought it 
was the best training that the college gave them. 

Several of the older men in the district encouraged 
the idea. Mr. Grant in particular supported it. He 
thought the school could be used for no better purpose. 
CKnton Dunn, who had come back home an invalid 
after bravely trying to make his way in the world, was 
in his quiet way the most interested in the scheme and 
promised to help. When Miss Walker came into the 
district to take charge of the school, the plan found a 
strong supporter in her. She had had some experience 
in such an undertaking, first at her home school and later 
when she attended Normal School. With two good 
leaders, both of whom were well liked, success was 



2o6 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

assured. With Clinton Dunn's sympathy and support 
it was doubly assured. 

It was not long before the Society developed beyond 
the plans first made. It had to move from the school 
to a larger building. The meetings became so interesting 
that people from beyond our boundaries asked permis- 
sion to attend. Though intended for the young people 
chiefly, some of our older people began to take part in 
the programs and were encouraged to do so. The 
older school children also were encouraged. The meet- 
ings were arranged for Friday evenings, and at least one 
item on every program was given by some of the 
pupils. The Society represented the whole community 
before its first year's program was finished. 

The work of the Society has been well told by CHnton 
Dunn, who acted as Corresponding Secretary, in a report 
made to the Agricultural College. One of the Depart- 
ments of the College keeps in touch with country Literary 
Societies and assists them in every way it can. This is 
part of the report; it was printed in one of the College 
bulletins : 

"The Townsend Literary Society represents the entire com- 
munity in a way that no other organization we have is able to 
do. There is practically no age or other limit to membership, 
and the annual fee of fifteen cents can hardly be prohibitive to 
any one. The membership has grown steadily each season 
for three years, and is now about two hundred. Many are 
frequent visitors who have not become actual members, but 
the only distinction between the members and the others is 
that the former pay their membership fee of fifteen cents for 
the whole season, while the latter pay five cents admission for 
each meeting they attend, and therefore it costs them more. 



OUR LITERARY SOCIETY 207 

"The official name is The Literary, Social, and Debating 
Society, but this is too ponderous a title for everyday use. We 
use Literary Society for convenience, but it is really too re- 
stricted to represent correctly the varied interests of our mem- 
bers. Rural Improvement Society would be more accurate. 
We have the usual officers, except that there is an Honorary 
Council composed of six prominent men and women who are 
frequently called in consultation at the committee meetings, 
and a Corresponding Secretary, whose sole duty is to keep 
the society advertised in the local press. The regular reports 
and announcements are made as interesting as possible, and 
this policy has helped largely to spread the interest in our 
meetings over such a wide district. 

"The Society meets every Friday night from the beginning 
of January till the end of March. A motion to hold the meet- 
ings only once a fortnight was defeated when brought up at 
the beginning of the last season. To arrange and prepare for 
a dozen interesting and helpful programmes in such a short 
space of time is undoubtedly a strain on the committees who 
have the work in charge, but the people look forward to the 
weekly outing and are reluctant to change. 

"The Society met in the schoolhouse the first season, but 
since then a larger auditorium has been necessary. The hall 
that has been used was rather bare and uninviting, but last 
season a Decoration Committee was formed, and at a cost of 
less than five dollars a great improvement was made, and now 
the meetings are held in more attractive surroundings than 
has ever been the case before. The Society which owns the 
hall was so pleased with the improvements that it passed a 
resolution of thanks and sent it to the Secretary to be read 
aloud to the Literary Society at the next meeting, and accom- 
panied the resolution by the rebate of a week's rent of the hall. 
The hall costs $1.25 a week, and the care-taking has to be done 
by the Literary Society." 



2o8 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

"After leaving the schoolhouse the want of a blackboard was 
felt, so last season a portable board was made and neatly framed 
at a cost of two or three dollars and has proved a great con- 
venience. For instance, our President, who is a builder, gave 
a talk on Short Cuts in Building and used the blackboard to 
show how to square a foundation, how to get the pitch for 
rafters, and other tricks of the trade. One of our local clergy- 
men gave an able address on Niagara, a district with which he 
was familiar, and to illustrate his remarks he prepared with 
great care a map of that region in colored chalk on the black- 
board. The map was so good that it caused great regret when 
it had to be rubbed off in order to write down the words of a 
farewell chorus which had been composed for the audience to 
sing at the final meeting. Next winter it may be necessary 
to have two blackboards in order to do full justice to the talents 
of our members. 

"A piano is rented each season at a cost of $3.50 a month. 
It is hard to keep a piano in good condition in such a place as 
a public hall, and our local musicians can therefore not do 
justice to themselves by their performances, but still the piano 
adds greatly to the interest and pleasure of our meetings and 
could not be dispensed with. 

"In some places such a society as ours might be confined 
to the young people, but that is not the case in Townsend; in 
fact, last winter the older members began to be afraid that 
they were crowding out the young folks a little, as they found 
so many important topics to discuss. Usually a debate is held 
once a fortnight, but last season open discussions were some- 
times held instead, by which a larger number of speakers could 
take part. The first discussion was on the subject How to 
make Farm Life Attractive to the Boy. One gentleman opened 
the subject by a comprehensive paper, taking it up in all its 
aspects, and other men and women followed, supporting or 
dissenting from his views. 



OUR LITERARY SOCIETY 209, 

"A mock legislature was held for three consecutive nights. 
It was modelled on the State Legislature, but ladies were in- 
cluded in its membership, and there was no limitation to the 
nature of the bills proposed, which included Woman's Suffrage, 
Taxation of Bachelors, and Local Improvements. The members 
of the legislature sat on the stage, the Speaker fronting the 
audience. The legislature was opened and closed with the 
usual ceremonies, even to the playing of the National Anthem 
by the band. It was the Townsend Literary Band and the 
instruments were only mouth-organs, but the tune was just 
the same as if played by a real band. As far as the speaking 
went the session was excellent, and there were several surprises 
for the audience in the new debaters who came to the front. 

"During the winter the Literary Society was the means of 
bringing Dr. McNally, District Officer of Health, to Town- 
send to give an address on Public Health, which promises in 
several instances to have good results. 

"It should be mentioned that the Executive of our Society 
holds office for a year. Although the meetings of the Society 
are held during the winter only, there are always matters that 
require supervision throughout the year. For instance, this 
summer it is the intention to hold a picnic to give our members 
a chance to get acquainted. The attendance is so large that it 
is impossible, for lack of room, to hold a social evening during 
the winter in the hall at our disposal, and a picnic will help to 
develop the social side of our organization. 

"In conducting a successful Literary Society the matter of 
good order is of great importance, and in this respect the Town- 
send Society has not yet attained perfection. In such a large 
attendance as we have reached there is bound to be a certain 
element who have little concern for the serious aims of the 
Literary Society, and come only for a good time. In order to 
keep these interested the Society would have to confine itself 
to the lightest kind of entertainment. The subjects that re- 



CIO RURAL SCIENCE READER 

quire the most serious thought and careful preparation are 
usually those that are treated with the least respect by the 
light-headed members of the audience. The problem is to 
mingle improvement with entertainment in the right propor- 
tion to make the meetings helpful and enjoyable at the same 
time. 

"I might also say that a travelling library is being secured 
and a reference bookshelf purchased, both to be kept at the 
school for the use of our local societies and the general public. 
A selection of the Government bulletins, reports, seed cata- 
logues, etc., will be kept on file." 

May 28, 1919. Clinton Dunn. 

Suggestions 

1. Send to your State Agricultural College for suggestions for organi- 
zation and programs. Invite speakers from the College to address your 
Society. 

2. Start the meetings promptly on time and close in good time. Train 
your community to be punctual. Insist on the best of conduct from every 
one in the audience. Do not let your neighborhood have a bad reputa- 
tion for its behavior at public meetings. 

3. Hold meetings on Friday night so that older pupils and teachers may 
be free to attend. Add to the school library books containing good 
selections of readings and recitations, song books, and a guide for conduct- 
ing public meetings and debates, for the general use of the pupils and the 
members of the Society. 

4. Encourage community singing. Set aside a portion of the time of 
every meeting for- this. Have a competition for writing verses that will 
have local interest and that can be sung to popular tunes. 

5. Let your Society undertake some service. Societies that exist 
merely for self-gratification or even self-improvement often fail. Selfish- 
ness is deadening. Interest will be kept alive and every person concerned 
will be the better for working, for example, to raise money for Red Cross or 
patriotic uses, for relieving local poverty, for improving the local cemetery, 
for giving playground equipment or a new fence to the school, for decorat- 
ing or painting the church. 

6. Inquire about th? young people's societies of earlier days in the set- 
tlement. Have some of the older members tell of these at some of the 
meetings. 




Some Costume Groups at our Literary Society 



OUR LITERARY SOCIETY . 2ii 

7. Keep in touch with similar societies in adjoining districts. Arrange 
friendly visits and contests in debating, spelling, and entertaining. If 
your society puts on a play, it might be repeated in another district to raise 
funds for some patriotic cause. 

8. Keep alive an interest in the Society during the summer by means 
of a picnic or an excursion. Even better than this, continue in operation 
as an Athletic Society and hold a community field day at the close of the 
season. 

9. Arrange for outside lecturers or entertainers for one or two open 
meetings of the Society during the year. But do not neglect to develop 
local talent. Encourage the boys and girls of the neighborhood to take 
part. Give every person something to do. 

10. Devise schemes for keeping up the interest. Have an evening of 
impromptu speeches on topics drawn on slips. Have a spelling match. 
Borrow a phonograph. Edit a Society paper. Hold a bo.x social. Or- 
ganize a community Christmas tree. Have an auction sale, etc. 



CHAPTER XXVII 
Our School Credits for Work at Home 









Do you know of the Just-Hate-To girls? They just hate washing dishes 
or taking care of the baby or dusting or sweeping or mending or anything 
that their mothers would like them to do. 

There are a few such girls. You will notice that they are not the hap- 
piest girls or the girls that increase the sum of the world's happiness very 
much. 

Or do you know any of the Just-Can't-Be-Bothered boys? They are 
a fairly large family in some places. They just can't be bothered carrying 
in water, washing their faces and hands, brushing their hair, doing chores 
for their fathers, orrunning errands for their mothers. 

You will notice that the members of this family are not as a rule the 
cheery chaps that help to make the world brighter for other folks. 

And do you know that in helping with the common tasks at home and 
in learning to "wait on yourself" you are getting the best kind of education? 

School is not the only place where one gets schooling. Home is a fine 
school. 

And books are not the only things from which one gets lessons. There 
are fine lessons to be learned in every kind of worth-while work that comes 
to one's hand at home. 

Do not miss your opportunities to learn to be a Helper! 



OUR SCHOOL CREDITS FOR WORK AT HOME 213 

There are two pupils in the North End School 'who 
have been much improved by Miss Northwood's scheme 
for giving credits for home work. They are Jim Davis 
and Nettie Brown. Of course I do not mean that all of 
us have not been improved, for I am sure we have. But 
■Jim and Nettie show the most improvement. There 
was more room for improvement with them, I suppose, 
than with the rest of us, though goodness knows none of 
us is near perfection yet. Not quite! Miss Northwood 
often reminds us that "the biggest room in the world is 
the room for improvement." 

Poor Jim, as people generally spoke of him, really 
did not have much of a chance until Miss Northwood 
and he became friends. It was not his fault. He 
was "only an orphan," Mr. Todd used to say and made 
this his excuse for keeping him home from school and 
working him hard. Jim had come to live with the Todds 
when he was eight years old. That was three years ago. 
He had not had much schoohng when he came, and he 
did not get much more until this winter. Jim him- 
self cared very Httle about the matter. He was not 
very much interested in school. No one there was much 
interested in him, and he was ashamed of being only in 
the' Third Grade with such Httle pupils as Elsie Kelly 
and Frank Rutledge. Poor Jim would not have had 
much of a chance if he had not found the kind of 
teacher he needed. 

It was Miss Northwood's scheme for allowing credits 
for home work that brought Jim to the front. No one 
imagined Jim counted for much until his first few weeks' 
total showed him to be the school's champion worker. 
When a fellow is allowed ten credits for milking a cow 



214 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

and has to milk two of them twice a day, and five credits 
for splitting wood, and five more for putting on the fire 
in the morning, and five for this and five for that, it is 
not hard to run up a big score. Poor Jim was not Poor 
Jim any longer — he was Rich Jim. Miss Northwood 
praised him. You should have seen the look on his 
face! He began to look different. She went to see 
Mr. Todd and had a talk with him. She made a friend 
of Mrs. Todd. 

Jim began coming to school regularly. He wanted to 
learn now, and when any one wants to learn it is not 
hard to win promotion. Jim made up for lost oppor- 
tunities. He soon got into the Fourth Grade and now 
he is in the Fifth. He is a different sort of fellow — 
every one Hkes him and admires him too. He is a 
great favorite. Even Mr. Todd has changed his opin- 
ion of him and does not speak of him any longer as 
"only an orphan." School credits for home work dis- 
covered Jim. Because of it there is going to be in the 
world one less poor boy with Httle or no education. The 
world can not afford to have boys with poor schooling 
in these days. 

Nettie Brown's story is a different one. In some 
ways it is just the opposite of Jim's. Nettie was not an 
orphan. If Mr. and Mrs. Todd were not kind enough 
to Jim, Nettie's mother and father were too kind to 
her, Jim had too much work to do, and Nettie had not 
enough to do. In fact, she had hardly anything to do 
except go to school. She took music lessons, but she 
did not Hke practicing and so she did not practice. Nettie 
was good-hearted in some respects and she was clever in 
school, but she was lazy and selfish. There was one 



OUR SCHOOL CREDITS FOR WORK AT HOME 215 

thing about Nettie's misfortune that was like Jim's — it 
was not her fault. 

At first Nettie did not pay much attention to Miss 
Northwood's plan for giving credits for home work. 
She was not interested and neither was her mother. 
When she saw, however, that her place in the class partly 
depended on home work, she began to show more interest. 
And she liked Miss Northwood. Nettie's mother be- 
came interested too when she heard so many of the 
neighbors laughing about the way we were all hunting 
around for work. It would have been pretty hard for 
Nettie or any one else to stay out of the "game," for so 
we all spoke of it. Every one in the school, even down 
to Httle Doris Wendell, who is only six years old, was 
enthusiastic. 

So Nettie began to practice her music and to help her 
mother with the housework. She made her own bed 
every morning, set the table, and helped to wash the 
dishes. She even became interested in baking and did 
a share of it on Saturday mornings. One Saturday be- 
fore Christmas she had Miss Northwood over to spend 
the afternoon and stay for supper, and Miss Northwood 
did not know which was the prouder, Nettie or her 
mother, for Nettie herself did all the work preparing 
the meal. She had baked the bread and biscuits, made 
the salad, baked the apples and everything. Miss North- 
wood was very proud too, for she realized that Nettie 
was growing into a very fine girl. The home credits 
plan had stirred Nettie out of her laziness and selfishness. 

So you see what I meant when I said Jim Davis and 
Nettie Brown had been the most improved by Miss 
Northwood's scheme for allowing us credits for our work 



2i6 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

at home. Both of them have been quite changed and 
a great deal for the better. One was stirred out of igno- 
rance and the other out of selfishness. 

A good deal could be said about some of the rest of us 
too. 

Suggestions 

1. For suggestions for different plans of school credits, get Alderman's 
School Credit for Home Work for the school library. This book tells of the 
commencement of the scheme in the Spring Valley School in the state of 
Oregon. 

2. Many different activities are included in chfferent schemes. These 
are a few of them. Work out your own for your school: 

Household >For^. — Making beds, sweeping, dusting, setting table, 
washing dishes, baking, churning, washing, ironing, mending, making 
fires, carrying coal and wood. 

Care of Person and Health. — Washing face and hands, combing and 
brushing hair, cleaning teeth and finger nails, going to bed early, arising 
early, sleeping with window open. 

Chores. — Caring for cows, chickens, horses, pigs; cleaning stables, 
splitting wood, milking, hauUng water, running errands. 

Personal Improvement. — - Home study, reading good books or papers, 
keeping temper, poUteness, attending church and Sunday School, practic- 
ing music. 

Business or Production Activities. — Working on holidays, raising poul- 
try for sale, gardening projects, putting money in savings bank. 

3. At the School Fair arrange for a contest among the boys in putting 
on a patch or sewing on buttons and among the girls in sawing and splitting 
kindling. A knitting, contest between boys and girls would be exciting if 
the girls were fairly handicapped. Prizes might be arranged also for es- 
says on home credit subjects such as, "The Uses of Girls at Home." 



CHAPTER XXVIII 

Our Home Garden — A Girl's Description of a Country Family's 
Vegetable and Small Fruit Garden 



,^V<i\l \\^ 




Our First Parents had their home established in a garden. 

Some say there cannot be a real home \vithout a garden. 

Certain it is that every country home should have its garden. 

\¥hat a great thing it would be for America if every home had its 



garden ! 



"Oh, the green things growing, the green things growing, 
The faint, sweet smell of the green things growing! 
I should like to live, whether I smile or grieve. 

Just to watch the happy life of my green things growing. 

"Oh, the fluttering and the pattering of green things growing, 
How they talk each to each, when none of us are knowing 
In the wonderful white of the weird moonlight, 
Or the dim, dreamy dawn when the cocks are crowing. 

"I love, I love them so — my green things growing, 

And I think that they love me, without false showing, 
For by many a tender touch, they comfort me so much 
With the soft, mute comfort of green things growing." 

— By Mrs. Mulock, author of John Halifax, Gentleman. 



2i8 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Most of the people in our school district have gardens of 
some kind. There are a few very good gardens. Perhaps 
the Perkins have the best. Ours is one of the best, I think. 

How some people get on without a garden puzzles me. 
The Downings do not even grow rhubarb, and that is 
about the easiest thing to grow that I know of. Of 
course they grow their own potatoes, and sometimes they 
put in a few cabbage plants among the turnips which are 
grown for the cattle. They like other vegetables, too, for 
they buy a good deal of canned stuff at the store. They 
seem to think that it is too much bother to care for a 
garden. Perhaps when their Httle girl comes to school 
and gets interested with the other children in garden 
work, there will be a change. 

For one of our garden lessons last spring our teacher 
asked us to draw a plan of our home gardens. The one 
I drew of ours is not exactly right. There were some 
changes made before all the planting was completed. The 
plan shows Father's ideas of making the care of the gar- 
den simple. There is a large gate that permits driving 
in with a wagon load of manure or bringing in the horses 
for plowing. Everything is planted in long rows with 
plenty of space between so that the cultivating can be 
readily done. 

Although many farmers think a garden is a nuisance and 
a waste of time. Father thinks there is no quarter of an 
acre on the farm that is anywhere nearly so profitable 
as our garden. And Mother agrees with him. She says, 
"If you are good to your garden, it will be good to you." 
And certainly our garden is good to us. Father does not 
spare the manure on it. Every fall he plows in at least 
five or six wagon loads. 



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220 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Between the garden and the house Mother has her 
flower garden. At least we call it Mother's Garden, for 
it is she who gives it the most care. But we are all in- 
terested in it. There is hardly a time of the year ex- 
cept winter when there is not some bloom to be seen. 
Even before all the snow is gone we have crocuses showing. 
Then daffodils and tulips come next. Nearly every old- 
fashioned plant that you can name is in our borders, I 
think: tansy, sweet Mary, bleeding heart, daisies, peonies, 
hollyhock, sweet William, scarlet hghtning, silver shilling, 
phlox, forget-me-not, foxglove, pansy, Canterbury bells, 
and my favorite, oriental poppy. 

Mother is not so fond of annuals, but we usually have 
some asters, nasturtiums, and sweet alyssum, about the 
house. I always think there should be flowers not far 
away from the vegetable garden. I suppose that is be- 
cause it is this way at home. 

Our garden is really Hke part of our home. One can 
hardly think of the home without thinking of the garden. 
I do not beheve it could be better located. Father and 
Mother were very wise when they chose the ground di- 
rectly south of our house. In fact, they built the house 
where they did, so that they could have the garden on 
this little slope. It is hardly ever out of sight and so is 
never out of mind. Mother looks into it dozens of times 
a day from our kitchen, and Father sees it as he goes to 
and comes from work. Even in the winter time it is not 
forgotten. 

The garden is about a quarter of an acre in area. It 
is 75 feet wide and 150 feet long. The soil is a deep loam. 
A few years ago Father put up a good wire fence that 
has proved a great satisfaction. With the old fence 



OUR HOME GARDEN 221 

there was never a time that the chickens or sometimes the 
Uttle pigs might not be expected to get in and make 
trouble. Now it is quite secure. There are good safe 
gates too. A garden on a farm needs to be especially 
well protected. 

Every one has a share in the garden. We always call 
it "our garden." We all work in it. Sometimes on a 
summer evening the whole family will be working in it 
at one time. There is a good deal to do in a garden the 
size of ours, but Father uses the horse for some of the 
cultivating, and our new wheel hoe is a great labor- 
saver. 

We share in the profits too. At least we children are 
allowed to sell surplus products for our pocket money. 
We had over $25.00 last year for ourselves, chiefly from 
currants, strawberries, raspberries, and onions. There 
is a good sale for asparagus, too, but we have not very 
much of that to sell. We have had the hotbed only a 
few years. It is really not so much trouble as most 
people think, and it soon pays for itself. We have given 
our neighbors a lot of things from our hotbed. We usu- 
ally have more cabbage plants, etc., than we need for 
ourselves. 

For a garden project this year I am growing garden 
seeds. I expect to have seed of beets, lettuce, carrots, 
radish, parsnips, and cabbage, and of course we shall keep 
seed from the cucumbers, beans, corn, and squash, as 
we always do. I expect to have lots of seed to sell or to 
give away. The newspapers have been warning people 
that there will be a scarcity of seed next year. That is 
why our teacher suggested this for my home garden 
project. 



222 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



I hardly know what I hke best about our garden. 
Perhaps it is working in it. I did not care for it so much 
at first, but I really do like working in it now. I do not 
know anything more interesting than to have a hand in 
making things grow. Of course, one finds some jobs 
tiresome sometimes. Picking currants on a hot after- 
noon is not fun, for example. Father says he thinks my 

chief interest in the garden 
is the "eats," and certainly 
I do enjoy the strawberries, 
and the raspberries, and 
the asparagus, and the first 
green peas, and the new 
potatoes — and everything! 
Who doesn't? 

I hardly know when I 
Hke the garden best. Per- 
haps it is in the winter 
when I see the shelves and 
the bins in our cellar stored 
with all the good things. A sight of Mother's canned 
tomatoes, and corn, and peas, and beans, and beets, 
to say nothing of the jars of pickles and berries and 
currant jelly, is good for sore eyes! Those who grow 
their own suppHes in their own gardens will know what I 
mean. Every home should have a garden! 




Picking Currants 



OUR HOME GARDEN 223 

MY GARDEN 

A Garden is a lovesome thing 

God wot! 

Rose plot 

Fringed pool 

Ferned grot, — 
The veriest school 
Of peace; and yet the fool 
Contends that God is not — 
Not God! in gardens! 
When the eve is cool? 
Nay, but I have a sign; 

'Tis very sure 
God walks in mine. 

T. E. Brown 

Suggestions 

1. Organize a garden dub at the school to arrange for weekly talks, 
canning demonstrations, purchase of seed. School Fair exhibits, procuring 
garden books, holding a garden fete, etc. 

2. Estimate the area of aU the home gardens in the district, not coimting 
fields of potatoes. Draw plans of the best gardens. 

3. Make up your own garden book by pasting articles cut from papers 
on separate loose leaves and binding them together in a portfolio. Keep 
together articles dealing with the same subject. To this portfolio add your 
records of your own gardening experiences. 

4. Add good gardening books to your school library. Subscribe for a 
garden magazine. Send away for seed catalogues. Keep the garden bulle- 
tins pubUshed by your Agricultural College and the Department of Agri- 
culture at Washington. 

5. Keep in touch with the Foreign Seed and Plant Distribution Division 
of the Bureau of Plant Industry (Department of Agriculture), Washington, 
and test some of the new vegetables that are brought from other parts of 
the world. 

6. Arrange for a visit to a good local garden and a talk by the owner. 
Have him explain what prize-winning vegetables should be like. 

7. Hold a garden fair at the school and exhibit canned products, the 
result of garden projects, etc. Auction off exhibits for patriotic funds 
or give them to charitable institutions. 



CHAPTER XXIX 

Our Apple Show and Orchard Study — How the Winona School 
Became Interested in Fruit Growing 








Do you know any fairer sight on a farm than the fruit trees in blossom? 

Do you know anything that a farm yields that is better than a good 
apple? 

Do you know anything that people in general are more fond of than 
apple pie? 

Do you know any gift made to teachers by country boys and girls so 
conunon as apples? 

Do you know anything in the country that is as much neglected as 
small orchards? 

Do you know how more apples and better apples may be produced from 
these orchards? 

Do you know anything more interesting than working with fruit trees 
to make them productive? 

The country wants more good apple trees, more good apples, — and more 
apple pies! 

Help to take better care of the orchards. 



OUR APPLE SHOW 225 

We have had many interesting lessons on fruit and 
fruit-growing at the Winona School. Miss Staples, our 
teacher, is very much interested in this subject, as she 
was brought up in Stanstead County where a good deal 
of fruit is grown for the market. In October she pro- 
posed an apple show for the school. This aroused every- 
body's enthusiasm. It was the first one that we had, 
and consequently we were all interested. 

The display was made in the basement of the school 
as we have good light there and can easily set up tables. 
We had a great time for a few days searching for the 
finest samples on our trees. It is harder than most 
people think to find first-class specimens. The people in 
the neighborhood were invited to the school, and about 
twenty came. Mr. Lawson and Mr. Geyman, two of 
the trustees, judged the exhibits and explained why they 
placed the prizes as they did. The prizes were ribbons. 
We sent all the fruit afterwards to the Children's Shelter 
in St. Clemens. 

Upstairs in the school room after the judging was done 
we had great fun in contests. The first was a naming 
contest. Mr. Lawson held up specimens of all the 
commonest varieties that had been shown, and we had 
to write down their names. Some of the older folks took 
part in this too. Allan Dyer was the most successful. He 
named nine out of fourteen. The pupils did just as well 
as the visitors. Then the boys were tested for their 
smelhng abihties. Six of them were blindfolded and had 
to name the kinds of apples that were held under their 
noses. Willie Geyman was clever at this. He knew 
every one of the six varieties. They could not "fool" 
him. The girls did not do so well in their tasting con- 



2 26 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

test. Alice Short was the best. She could distinguish 
five of them, but I was sure only of the Talman Sweet, 
Fameuse, and Golden Russet. 

The week after the Apple Show we commenced what 
Miss Staples called an "Orchard Survey" of the school 
district. This took several lessons, as we had to draw 
maps and make a good many inquiries. We calculated 
there were about 1750 apple trees, 85 pear trees, 225 
plum trees, and 300 cherry trees in the district, covering 
about 600 acres of land. We found there were twenty-two 
different varieties of apples represented. We could not be 
so sure of the plums and pears, as people did not seem 
to know different varieties as well as they did in the 
case of the apples. 

When we had completed the survey the older boys and 
girls were asked to write a description of our home or- 
chards. This is what I wrote about ours: 

OUR ORCHARDS 

We really have two orchards at our place. One is called the 
New Orchard and the other is called the Old Orchard. The 
former was set out by Father in 191 1. The Old Orchard was 
planted by my grandfather about fifty years ago. That was 
before Father was born, but be remembers seeing the funny lit- 
tle man that sold Grandfather the trees. He came around 
every year to take orders for fruit trees in the neighborhood 
until he was very old, and he usually stayed overnight at Grand- 
father's. He was always welcome, for he was very respectable 
and had interesting stories to relate. People called him "Apple 
Johnnie." Father used to like to sit up and Usten to him when 
he told of his travels. 

I do not think Grandfather had any special plan for his or- 




Gathering Apples 



Face p. 226 



OUR APPLE SHOW 



227 



chard. He did not have any notion of making money from it. 
It was fruit for use in the home he thought of chiefly. The new 
orchard that Father set out in 191 1 is different. It is a com- 
mercial orchard. The crop is for selUng and not for our home 
use merely. Grandfather's orchard is about an acre and a 
half in extent. There are twenty-five apple trees in it besides 
three pear, four cherry, and sLx plum trees. The wild plums 



•^clump of 
O WILD PLUM5 




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Plan of Our Old Orchard 



are in a clump and are not counted. A few of the old apple 
trees have died and been replaced by Father from time to time, 
and of course new plum and cherry trees have been planted. 
But it is still Grandfather's orchard. Blessings on his head 
for having given us this good old orchard! Father has cared 
for it pretty well lately, but usually he leaves it in grass for the 
calves and young pigs. My map shows the plan of the orchard 
and the kinds of apples we have. 

The orchard was planted near the house, as all the old fash- 
ioned orchards were. People wanted the trees to supply fruit 



228 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

for their homes and so placed them where they would be handy. 
I am glad they did. The orchard would not mean so much to 
me if it were at a distance from the house. I would not have 
become so well acquainted with it if it had not been at our very 
door. It is almost part of the home. I used to have a swing 
on one of the trees. Mother has a clothes line between two of 
the trees. We sit out there and read in the summer. Some- 
times we have our tea there. The apple trees may be getting 
old and may not be worth very much for their crop, but I would 
not be the person to propose to cut one of them down! Every 
tree is like an old friend of Father's. And Mother is just as 
fond of them. And so am I. Although the New Orchard prom- 
ises to bring in better money returns than the Old Orchard 
did, none of us can ever think so much of it. Money is not 
everything ! 

I hardly know when I like our Old Orchard best. It is 
beautiful in the spring when full of blossoms. It is the most 
restful place in the world in the warm days of summer. In 
autumn there is no happier time than the apple-picking days. 
In winter, as we enjoy our apples and our preserved plums and 
cherries and pears, we look out at the leafless trees with kindly 
feelings for the service they have rendered us. All considered, 
perhaps blossom time is the favorite time. The air is full of 
color and perfume and music then. From the time the wild 
plums along the fence open a mass of white until the latest apple 
tree blossoms there are pleasant feasts for eye and nose every 
day. The birds seem to sing their best in blossom time; with 
the bees humming, they make a feast for the ear. 

I am not sure which is my favorite tree; I like different 
trees for different reasons. There is the old crab apple tree in 
which the robins usually build a nest. I remember Father 
hoisting me up above his shoulders there, when I was a wee 
tot, to see the eggs and afterwards to see the little robins. I do 
not care a great deal for the crab apples, though Mother makes 
good jelly from them, but I like the tree as the Robin-Tree. 



OUR APPLE SHOW 229 

Many is the time I have cHmbed it myself to visit their nests. 
I never get tired of seeing the blue of robins' eggs. Then there 
is the golden russet behind the house. That is where we had 
our swing. It will always be remembered as the Swing-Tree. 
The Family-Tree is an old Talman Sweet about twenty feet 
from our back veranda. It is under that we sometimes have our 
supper in summer. Father likes to read there (or take a nap!) 
on Sunday afternoons. 

It is also hard to choose favorites from the standpoint of 
taste. At haying time I think that there is nothing so nice 
as our Yellow Transparent, but by harvest time I am of the 
opinion that the Red Astrakan is the finest apple in the world. 
The first apple sauce made from the fruit of the Duchess of 
Oldenburg is the best apple sauce, everybody declares, and a 
roasted Talman Sweet when one comes home hungry from 
school is delicious beyond compare. For eating in the winter 
there is nothing finer than our Northern Spy, and for spring. 
Russets from a pit. These are my favorite apples. How deli- 
cious the wild plums are, and the cherries, and the pears, is 
another story. 

Suggestions 

1. Sketch your favorite apple tree as a drawing exercise. Write the 
"Autobiography of an Apple Tree" or the "History of my Home Or- 
chard." 

2. If you have a camera, take photographs of some of your trees in 
blossom, and with their loads of fruit; also any picking scenes, family par- 
ties, swings, birds' nests, etc. These pictures would make valuable addi- 
tions to your "snap" collection. 

3. In some places fruit trees or nut trees are being planted along the 
roads for shade trees. Perhaps this could be done in your district. Seed- 
ling trees are frequently found along the roadside fences. These might be 
made to bear good fruit by grafting. Future pupils would thank you for 
such a service. 

4. Estimate the number of fruit trees in your district and the acreage. 
Calculate the value of the total crop for the year. Find out which trees 
are the most profitable. Send for catalogues of fruit trees and calculate 
the cost of planting an orchard. 



230 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

5. Keep a record in your Rural Science Note-book of the date of blos- 
soming of the different kinds of trees in your orchard, and the date the fruit 
is harvested. If the fruit is marketed, record also the expense incurred in 
spraying, pruning, cultivating, picking, packing, and shipping, and the value 
of the crop. 

6. Make a collection at school of all the different varieties of apjiles 
grown in the neighborhood. Have a spelling lesson on their names. If 
there are any varieties that cannot be named locally with certainty send 
samples to the Agricultural College or Experiment Station to be named 
by experts. Have tasting and smelling contests with pupils blindfolded. 

7. Discuss plans for renovating old orchards. Visit any local orchards 
where this is being done and have the owner explain his methods. Ar- 
range for some one to show you how to prune trees and to graft. 
Overhaul your home orchard as a home project. 

8. Find out from the old settlers when the first orchards were set out, 
where the trees were bought, and who were considered the best fruit-growers. 
Perhaps some one can teU you of famous (locally) tree agents, or of men 
skilled in grafting and pruning. If any old trees are being cut down in the 
neighborhood, count the annual rings and find out about when they were 
planted. 

g. Make enquiries about old-time "paring bees." Find out how dried 
apples were prepared and what use was made of them. Draw an old- 
fashioned kitchen, showing strings of drying apples. Can any one bring 
a paring machine to school? Where were the cider mills located? How 
were cider-vinegar, apple-butter, and apple syrup prepared? 



CHAPTER XXX 

Our Potato Contest — The North Gower School Wins Places in the 
County Potato-Growing Contest for Boys. 




There is much to be gained by taking part in a contest — whether it is 
in raising a pig, growing com, spelling, running, or even eating pie at a 
school picnic. 

But remember the chief gain is not in winning the prize, though many 
people think it is. Some think so much of the prize-winning that they sell 
themselves for it; they act meanly and selfishly and dishonestly. They 
pay a high cost for their apparent success. 

The chief gain lies in having striven worthily, in having learned to respect 
and to Uke and even to help one's competitors, and in having enlarged one's 
knowledge and experience in useful ways. 

You may win in a contest and still be a loser! 

You may lose in a contest and still be a winner! 

Be a winner both ways! 

Donald Brownlee and Frank Stone were great friends. 
Donald was fourteen and Frank was a year younger. 
Their fathers had been schoolmates before them at the 



232 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

North Gower School, and their mothers were cousins 
who had been brought up almost as sisters. Their homes 
were only about a quarter of a mile apart. For seven years 
they had gone to school together, played together, and 
done some of their studying together. This was to be 
their last year at school. Both would finish their eighth 
grade work and be recommended for liigh school entrance. 
They were big, strong lads, fond of horses, fond of shar- 
ing in the work of their fathers' farms, and though they 
liked going to school well enough, they were glad that 
they would not have to answer to the call of a school 
bell very much longer. As their fathers before them had 
done, they would soon be taking their places as steady 
workers on the land. School days were about over. 

It was early in May. Their help could have been used 
to advantage at home, for the spring seeding, and their 
fathers had been inclined to keep them from school. 
But they had wise mothers. Mrs. Brownlee had always 
stood for a square deal for Donald in regard to his school- 
ing. She wanted her boy to have the full advantage of 
his opportunities in education. She said she had seen 
too many boys "crippled for life" by the crushing in of 
farm work, and she had always managed to keep Donald 
steadily at school. If she had been alone in her desires 
she might have been outvoted by Donald and his father, 
but she had Frank's mother to support her at home and 
Miss Lee to support her at school. Miss Lee was anxious 
to have the boys complete their school studies. They 
were both bright pupils and making good use of their 
time. She thought it would be a discredit to the school 
if they were not allowed to secure their diplomas. She 
was of the opinion that they would get honor standing. 



OUR POTATO CONTEST 233 

So the two boys were staying on at school, feeling that 
what their mothers wanted so much for them must be 
worth having. And anyway, it was enough that their 
mothers wanted them to do it. They were the sort of 
chaps that tried to balance accounts for. all that their 
mothers did for them. They didn't shirk their share of 
the farm work, however. Before and after school they 
helped with the chores, and on Saturdays they gave a 
good account of themselves in the fields. 

One morning as they were going along on their way to 
school, they saw Miss Lee ahead waiting at the cross- 
roads for them. They hurried along, for they knew 
there would be something of interest that she had to tell 
them. She was looking over a letter and a printed circu- 
lar that she had received the evening before. 

"Good morning, Donald; good morning, Frank," she 
said as they came up. 

"Good morning, Miss Lee," said the boys as they lifted 
their caps a bit bashfully; for they had not practiced 
their lesson on hat-lifting a great deal yet. 

"Here is something that I think you two boys will be 
interested in," she said as she handed the letter to Donald 
and the printed circular to Frank. "It is a Potato Con- 
test for Carleton County for boys between twelve and 
eighteen years of age. Mr. Whyte of Richmond is offer- 
ing prizes and is anxious to have the schools interested. 
I should like you two to consider the matter and enter 
the contest as our representatives from North Gower 
school." 

"If you will go in for it, Donald, I will," said Frank. 

"I beheve I should like to try the work," said Donald, 
"if you think I could manage it, Miss Lee." 



234 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



''Manage it! Of course you can manage it, both of 
you," Miss Lee assured them. "Do you think I don't 
know what you are capable of, after being your teacher 
for two years!" she exclaimed. 

"It is not for the prizes, though, that I wish you to 
enter the contest, neither is it for the honor of the school 
— though these are not unworthy reasons," she explained. 
"It is chiefly because I believe that you can get very 
valuable training from it. It will help to educate you 
for your future work. And it will have a good effect on 
the school at large. The other pupils will be interested. 
We can all get good lessons from it." 

" I see that one may enter his name up to the 15th of this 
month," said Frank, glancing at the circular. 

"That gives us a week to consider the matter and make 
our plans," said Donald. 

"Read the letter and circular carefully and talk over 
the project with your folks at home," advised Miss Lee, 
just as they reached the school. "I beHeve they will 
be pleased to have you enter for the work." 

"Yes, I think so too," said Frank. "I heard Donald's 
father and Dad just the other night talking of putting 
in more potatoes this year." 

"They are greatly needed in order to save wheat for 
shipping overseas." 

The Carleton County Potato Contest for Boys was 
duly talked over at the Brownlee and Stone homes. The 
fathers of the two boys were quite as interested as the 
boys were. So were their mothers. It did not take 
them a week to decide about entering. One night was 
sufficient. The next morning Donald and Frank re- 
ported to Miss Lee their intention, and for their com- 



OUR POTATO CONTEST 235 

position exercise she had them write out their notices. 
These were mailed the same day. They also wrote to 
the Agricultural College and Experiment Station asking 
for bulletins on potatoes. 

While awaiting the bulletins, they read what they 
could lay their hands on in the papers and questioned 
their fathers. They saw that if they were going to com- 
pete with boys from all parts of the county, it was more 
than ordinary potato-growing they had to do in order 
to make a creditable showing. Their fathers had not 
paid particular attention to this branch of their work up 
to this time, as they were more interested in live-stock. 
They could not help their boys a great deal with expert 
advice. 

With the receipt of the bulletins, they got all the in- 
formation they needed. They read these very carefully. 
For the benefit of the rest of the pupils, several of whom 
were going to have potato war-plots, Miss Lee asked them 
to use the agricultural lesson period on Friday afternoon 
for a potato talk and to make it as practical as possible. 
Being full of their subject they had no trouble in deahng 
with it satisfactorily. They divided it up. Donald spoke 
on the best soil for potatoes, how to manure and culti- 
vate the land, and how to care for the growing crop. He 
showed pictures of up-to-date potato machinery from 
the papers. Frank gave his talk on the best varieties, 
choice of seed, how to cut the seed and to treat for scab, 
and how to plant. He used potatoes that he brought 
from home to illustrate his remarks about the right type 
and the proper way to cut the seed. 

One of the things that the bulletins laid stress on was 
the quality of the seed. The very best seed procurable. 



236 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

should be used. As Donald's father had a very good 
crop from some Green Mountain seed that he had planted 
the year before, the boys, decided to grow the same. It 
was one of the varieties recommended in the circular 
they had received. It had been suggested that they 
should carry out the work in a business-like way, so they 
charged themselves with the amount for which the seed 
could have been sold by Mr. Brownlee. Not having any 
cash to make the payment, they gave their promissory 
notes for the amount. Donald's father did not want 





North Gower, May 10, igi6 


Six months after date I promise to pay John Brownlee 
the sum of Tivo Dollars and Seventy-five cents . . . .$2.75 
with interest at 6 per cent per annum. 

Frank Stone 



to take anything for the seed, but the boys insisted. Mr. 
Brownlee was very much pleased with the boys' method. 
Seed was high, too, that year. Mr. Brownlee allowed 
the boys to pick over his supply and take the best tubers 
they could select. 

Space does not permit telling about all the work that 
Donald and Frank did on their tenth of an acre plots. 
From the time they spread the manure on the ground 
until the day they made their exhibits of sample bushels 
at the Richmond Fair, nothing was neglected. They often 
compared notes and inspected one another's plots. There 
was no jealousy. If anything they became closer friends. 



OUR POTATO CONTEST 237 

Early in July Mr. Merritt, the County Agent, came to 
make his first inspection and to score the plots. He 
complimented both on their good work. Of the thirty- 
six competitions in the contest, he said, there were no 
plots better kept or more promising. Naturally this en- 
couraged the boys. They began to think they might have 
a chance for some of the prizes. Donald hoped that 
Frank would get one, and Frank hoped that Donald 
would get one. They were the right sort of chums. 

By the rules of the contest, the prizes were to be 
awarded on the following basis : — 

A . Report of County Agent on thoroughness of field culture, etc. . 100 points 

B. Certified report of yield as submitted by competitor .... 100 " 

C. Award of judge on one bushel exhibit sent to Richmond Fair 100 " 

D. Written report of competitor by printed form and diary . . . 100 " 

The winners therefore could not be known until the 
judging was completed at the Richmond Fair. 

On the 28th of September the potatoes were taken up. 
Miss Lee came over to supervise this so that she could 
certify to the weight. Frank's were dug first. They 
were a fine sample. The total weight was 2040 pounds 
and only 35 pounds of undersized tubers. Donald's 
plot was better. There were 2360 pounds in all and 
60 pounds of small sizes. No one else in the neighbor- 
hood had such a crop. There were good prospects of a 
high score for Donald on his yield. Frank's would Hkely 
score higher, though, on quaHty, His potatoes were 
smoother than Donald's. 

The exhibit at Richmond Fair was a fine one. Twenty- 
two of the boys who had entered the contest showed 
bushel samples. Twenty-two boys and many times 
twenty-two of their friends were keenly interested in 



238 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

the judging. There was nothing else at the fair that 
attracted more attention. It was announced that the 
scores would be given out at two o'clock. Frank and 
Donald were on hand before that hour, wondering how 
they would stand in the list. So were twenty other 
boys. There was a good deal of suppressed excitement 
among them, but the best of good feehng prevailed. In 
fact, they were chatting in friendly groups over their 
experiences. 

When Mr. Merritt read out Donald Brownlee's name 
first, there was a moment's hush and then a hearty 
clapping of hands. His score was 352 out of the 400 
possible. Mr. Merritt congratulated Donald and stated 
the reasons for placing him first. The winner of the 
second prize was a boy from the other side of the county. 
Frank came fifth. Both the North Gower boys were 
surprised at their good fortune and, needless to say, 
pleased. North Gower school and its teacher felt par- 
ticularly proud, for did they not share in the honor? 

The first six on the hst had won with Green Mountain 
potatoes. Their scores were as follows: 





Field Score 


Yield 


Exhibit 


Written 
Records 


Tot 


Donald Brownlee 


88§ 


97 


71I 


95 


352 


Mervin Gordon 


m 


93 


77i 


91 


35° 


Victor Owens 


91 


84 


86i 


88 


3491 


Harvey Gourlay 


8i| 


90 


82i 


92 


346 


Frank Stone 


87I 


86 


87 


84^ 


345 


Joseph Wright 


90 


82 


81 


86 


339 



This does not end the story of Donald's and Frank's 
potato-growing nor of their schoohng. Both boys went 
back to school for the winter months, and Miss Lee gave 
them special instruction in advanced branches. They 



OUR POTATO CONTEST 239 

are both planning to go to the Agricultural School in a 
few 3/ears. In the meantime they are improving them- 
selves by reading and experimenting. They have ex- 
tended their potato plots and by selection and care are 
winning their rights to membership in the State Potato 
Growers' Association. 

CERTIFICATE OF YIELDS BY TEACHEE OR OTHER PERSON NOT 
DIRECTLY INTERESTED 

Weight of Marketable tubers (those over 2 in. in diameter and free from disease) 

2300 pounds. 

Weight of diseased tubers c/lo- cli^&ClyQy&cl Vw6-£AA' pounds. 

Weight of small unsalable tubers (those less than 2 in. in diameter and free from 

disease) 6O pounds. 

Total weight of tubers on whole plot 23 6O __pounds. 

I hereby certify that I personally supervised the digging and weighing of the 
potatoes on the above mentioned plot and that the report of the yields as submitted 
above is correct. 

(Signed) ^. jC&& {JJ^&a.&'k&'C) 

Dated at cA'oltA ^a^v-&'b 
this Ve/yitk day of 



EXPENSES IN CONNECTION WITH PLOT 

Rent of land (at rate of $3.00 per acre) '^ • ^^ 

Cost of labour (a) For horses (at IOC. per hour each) ,20 

(6) For competitor (at loc. per hour) , 60 

(c) For other assistance (at 20c. per hour) , i/-0 

Cost of manure (at $1.00 per ton) ^.00 

Cost of commercial fertiUzers 

Cost of seed 2.75 

Cost of spraying material .^5 



Total cost 



240 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

RECEIPTS 

Total value of salable potatoes on plot at 6oc. per bushel ^23.00 

Value of unsalable tubers at loc. per bushel , fO 

Total value •^SS./O 

STATEMENT OF PROFIT AND LOSS 

Total value of crop as above •fSd./O 

Total cost of production 6 . 60 

Net profit ■ f/6.60 

Net cost of producing one bushel (60 pounds) J / sZ^. 

Net profit per acre from the enterprise f/ 66.00 

I hereby certify that the information submitted in this Report Form is correct 
and that I have conducted the work according to the specified rules of the Compe- 
tition to the best of my ability. 

(Signed) ^o-tUX>tci JSvoi\Mvt&& 
* (Competitor) 
Dated at c4'0-vUl '^J-W-eAj 
this t&nt/l day of 

Suggestions 

1. Bigger yields and better quality are very desirable. But they are 
not so much to be desired as better and more capable boys and girls. 

2. Remember in all contests that the competitor who needs to be watched 
most carefully is yourself. He wiU defeat you by being lazy, or neglectful, 
or uninformed, or mean, or even dishonest, if you do not "watch out." 

3. No one needs to be told that in taking part in a contest he should 
learn aU he possibly can about the work before commencing it. Send to 
your Agricultural College, Experiment Station or to the Department of 
Agriculture for helpful bulletins. Consult books in your library. Watch 
the agricultural papers. Make inquiries at home. 

4. Make a potato survey of your district to discover the acreage, the 
total yield, the varieties grown, and the best methods followed. Devise a 
scheme for improving the potato growing by the use of a community plot 
for raising selected seed. Some districts are now uniting to grow only one, 
or at most, two varieties. 



CHAPTER XXXI 



Our School Fair — How Glendale School Conducted a Fair of 
Its Own and Joined in Another 








''""'^i^%».'~*.' 







Och ! Paddy and Nora have gone to the Fair, 
And an iligant toime they'll have of it there! 

What wid dancin' and singin' and feastin' and fun 
Sure, the day will be over before 'tis begun." 

Have you had a school fair at your school? If you have not, arrange for 
one next fall. 

A fair at a school affords a good opportunity for a community to gather 
together in a friendly way and to become acquainted with an institution 
which every one helps to support and which aims to work for the community's 
welfare. 

Our school has had one fair of its own and has taken 
part with near-by schools in another school fair. The 
first fair was held a year ago last October. As it was the 
first thing of the kind that Glendale School ever had, it 



242 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

was very enjoyable. Nearly everybody in the district 
attended. Our teacher, Miss Hanser, wished to have 
the whole community interested in the work of the 
school, and so we wrote invitations to every home. The 
teacher and pupils at the Hillsdale School were invited, 
too, as our guests. They are our neighbors. 

We were very busy for a few weeks before the fair get- 
ting ready for it. We had to arrange for our exhibits and 
the program. We decided to have only ribbons for 
prizes. For the entertainment of our guests we prac- 
ticed a few songs and drills and also prepared a little play 
called "Thanksgiving Day." The morning of the school 
fair day we spent in finishing the decoration of the school 
room, putting all our exhibits in place, and holding our 
last practices. 

At one o'clock the judges arrived. Mr. Butler and Mr. 
Martin judged the garden and nature exhibits, and Miss 
Butler and Mrs. Ritchie awarded the different colored 
ribbons to the needlework and canning exhibits as well as 
to the school exhibits of drawing and writing. About 
two o'clock the judging was finished, and the pupils had 
a chance to go in and see how successful they had been 
in capturing ribbons. When the visitors arrived, they 
were shown the exhibits in the school. About three 
o'clock the program was started. As it was a beauti- 
ful day it was given outdoors. The guests were seated 
on chairs that had been borrowed or on benches made 
with boards. Miss Hanser first made a little speech 
and told the people how pleased she was to have so many 
accept the school's invitation to their first fair. Between 
the songs and drills, the judges explained how they had 
awarded the prizes for the different exhibits. 







An Outdoor School Fair 




Bun-Eating Contest at the Fair 



OUR SCHOOL .FAIR 



243 



The best item on the program was the Httle play. 
Harold Butler was dressed up as a turkey and was very 
brave and mighty until the Indians (Tom Martin and 
Ed Lackner) rushed in and demohshed him with their 
tomahawks. The National Anthem brought the pro- 
gram to a close. 







Some Exhibits at the School Fair 

After the program there were sports and games for 
an hour or so. Besides races by the pupils, the married 
ladies had a walking match and the East played the 
West a game of baseball with our indoor-baseball. Most 
fun was furnished by a contest between the married men 
in sewing on buttons. Old Mr. Ritchie won the ribbon 
for this. Then we had lunch and after that home-going. 
Everybody declared it had been a very happy afternoon. 
Miss Page and her pupils from Hillsdale had enjoyed 



244 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

themselves. They invited us to pay them a return visit 
sometime. 

Instead of holding our own fair this year, we accepted 
an invitation to join with other schools under the County 
Superintendent's plans. Early in the spring, Mr. ElHs, 
the County Agent, called at the school and explained 
the scheme. It was to arrange competitions for garden- 
ing, needlework, canning, raising poultry, growing farm 
crops, public speaking, etc., that would be decided in a 
big union fair at Virgil in the autumn. He would supply 
choice seed free and sell eggs from the very best bred-to- 
lay Barred Rocks at fifty cents a dozen. For the prize 
money, the boards of directors of the eight schools com- 
pet'ng had promised to give ten dollars each, and others 
were giving donations that brought the total up to 
about one hundred and twenty dollars. 

Mr. Elhs asked us to elect a school fair committee 
from our school to attend to all details. The chairman 
of this committee was to represent our school on the 
school fair board of directors that would assist Mr. Elhs 
in handhng the entire fair. Harold Butler was elected 
chairman for our school, and attended a meeting of the 
chairmen from all the schools, in Mr. ElHs' office at St. 
Anne one Saturday a week or so later. 

The first thing required of us was to choose the com- 
petitions we would enter and order our suppHes. Eight 
of us decided to buy eggs. Six ordered seed potatoes, 
and a few asked for oats or barley. Nearly every one 
entered for some of the vegetables and also the corn. 
Harold sent in our orders to Mr. Elhs' office. One day 
about two weeks later Mr. Ellis drove up to the school and 
delivered the orders. In handing them out he gave us 



OUR SCHOOL FAIR 245 

instructions about the work and left in the school some 
bulletins that we could consult if we needed further in- 
formation. 

Miss Hanser took a keen interest in our work and 
encouraged us in every way. She advised us about our 
plant collecting, helped the girls with their needlework, 
and trained a few of us for the public-speaking contest. 

During the summer Mr. Ellis' assistant spent a few 
days in our district visiting every one who had received 
supphes. Those who had garden plots or plots of grain 
or corn were scored on the appearance of their plots. 
He advised us also about caring for our chickens. Very 
often he had a chat with our parents concerning other 
matters. 

As the day of the fair approached there was a good 
deal of excitement at the school. We were very anxious 
that our school should make a good showing. Naturally 
we did not want to be beaten by other schools if we could 
help it. Harold Butler was busy advising every person. 
Miss Hanser was busy too. Entries had to be sent in. 
Cards had to be signed. Arrangements had to be made 
to carry exhibits to Virgil. Helen Gibson, who was the 
school's choice for the pubHc-speaking contest, had to 
be given some special practice. The insect and weed 
collections had to be inspected. There was not a great 
deal of other school work done for a few days before 
the fair. 

Our exhibit was made in a big tent. It was quite a 
task to arrange it. There were over one hundred and 
twenty entries from our school alone. But Miss Hanser 
worked hard, and we gave her all the help we could. 
Before noon everything was in "apple-pie order" for the 



246 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

judging. We were very proud of our school's showing. 
We did not think there was any school that had any 
better exhibits. What would the judges think? While 
the judging was going on, the different schools had their 
lunches in picnic style on the fair grounds, but were a little 
too anxious over the awarding of prizes to mingle very 
much. The teachers, of course, and the parents from 
different districts gathered together in friendly groups, 
but the pupils were rather too shy for this. 

When the word came that the judging was completed 
there was a great rush and clamor. It was more than 
half an hour before every one knew how all the prizes 
had been awarded. There were many surprises and not 
a few disappointments. But nearly every one had won 
something, and the defeats were not allowed to spoil the 
rest of the afternoon's fun. 

There was a programme first. The judges spoke on 
their difficulties and their reasons for placing prizes and 
pointed out also how improvements could be made. Our 
school was declared the winner on points, but Hillsdale 
was only a few behind. Then the public-speaking con- 
test was held. It was very good. We were all very 
proud of Helen Gibson's speech, and when the judges 
declared her the winner of the first prize we gave our school 
yell with a hearty will. After the program there were 
games and sports for all. Everything was very well 
managed by the board of directors. Harold Butler was 
a very busy boy that afternoon. 

About a week after the fair, a bank check was sent to 
our school for twenty-one dollars to pay for the prizes 
won. Nearly every one in the school shared in this as the 
prizes in each competition were numerous. For winning 



OUR SCHOOL FAIR 247 

the prize for the best school exhibit we received a nicely 
framed copy of a picture called "The Horse Fair." It 
looks very well hanging on our school wall and reminds 
us of our successes at our first union school fair. 

Suggestions 

1. Do not measure your success at a school fair merely by the prizes 
won. There are bigger things than prizes to be won in competitions; such 
as learning to do things better, or learning to be glad at a rival's success, 
or learning to admire other people's skiU and ability. If competitions for 
prizes make boys or girls mean or greedy or tricky or unfriendly, or if they 
destroy the good fellowship in a school, they should not be held. 

2. Instead of centering all the school activities in one school fair during 
the year, smaller and more frequent exhibits might be made, e.g. the girls' 
needlework and the boys' carpentry (bird boxes, etc.) at Easter; the 
school driUs and songs at a closing picnic in June; agricultural, gardening, 
canning, and cooking exhibits in October; drawing, art, writing, map- 
drawing, and reciting at Christmas. 

3. If competitions are arranged between schools, make them of such a 
character that each school wiU be permanently benefited whether it wins 
or loses, e.g., a competition for the highest average attendance of pupils; 
for the greatest number of pupils, who do not miss a single day through- 
out the year; for the greatest improvement to the school building, the 
grounds, and the fences made within the year; for the best arranged and 
cared- for school garden. 

4. Use the school fair as an occasion for developing practical patriotism; 
e.g., raise money for the Red Cross; contribute part of the prize money for 
relief funds; auction off garden produce and donate the proceeds to a 
Children's Shelter or an Old People's Home. The development of a fine 
community spirit should be kept in view also. Send for Farmers' Bulletin, 
No. 870, The Community Fair. 

I te 5. In order to prevent haste and worry as well as to ensure a better qual- 
ity of work, it is advisable to arrange for the fair early in the spring or, better, 
at the beginning of the New Year. Scrambling to prepare plant collections, 
maps or other exhibits a few days before the fair should not be permitted. 
A restricted list of competitions with many entries in each will prove of 
more educational value than a large number of competitions with scattered 
entries. 

6. Pupils should not be allowed to enter carelessly prepared or worth- 
less exhibits. For the larger fairs at which several neighboring schools 



248 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

exhibit, or for the county fair, only the best selections from each school 
should be exhibited. To make such selections, a preliminary fair might be 
arranged at each school. The value of the small local fair to its own com- 
munity should not be lost sight of in competitive interests in the larger 
school fair. 

7. Printed ribbons and purchased badges make attractive prizes as they 
can be kept readily as souvenirs. Many small prizes rather than a few large 
ones are desirable. The worthy effort of every child should be recognized 
as far as possible. Some of the prizes should be for the school. These 
should be such things as pictures, books for the library, Adnes or shrubs, 
subscriptions for magazines, a school flag, or a trip to the Agricultural 
College. 

8. Besides the usual exhibits of poultry, corn, potatoes, garden vege- 
tables, canned fruit, sewing, and cookery, the prize list should include a few 
of the more unusual competitions, such as three-minute addresses on agri- 
cultural topics, a recitation, a reading, school choruses, songs by school 
quartette, duets by boy and girl, mouth organ selections, violin playing, 
a school drUl or march, horseback riding, driving single or double by girls, 
knot-tying, quick unharnessing and harnessing. Livestock exhibits of 
calves or colts that belong to pupils and which have been cared for by 
them create a good deal of interest. Exhibits of old-fashioned farm utensils 
or such household articles as churns, lanterns, candle molds, and spinning 
wheels, are also of educational value. 

9. In drawing up rules for the guidance of competitors, at school fairs, 
boys and girls should be deeply impressed with the necessity of "playing 
fair" in every respect. Every exhibit made should represent the inde- 
pendent effort of the exhibitor. It is far better to lose than to win un- 
fairly. Rural America cannot afford to have its coming citizens trained to 
gain any kind of prize by questionable methods. Such actions breed dis- 
trust, jealousies, and unfriendliness in neighborhoods; whereas what is 
wanted is training in confidence and cooperation. Unfriendly people 
cannot cooperate. 



CHAPTER XXXII 

Our School Egg Circle — How the Bellview Pupils Trained 
Themselves in Cooperative Poultry Improvement and Marketing 




Have you a share in the home poultry? Many boys and girls have. 
And because they have, better poultry is being kept and poultry is being 
better kept on thousands of farms. 

The world always seems to be hungry for good fresh eggs. At reason- 
able prices there is hardly any limit to the demand for them. There is no 
better food. 

Any one who helps the world by producing and marketing good food is 
rendering a good service to his fellow citizens. 

Learn to cooperate in marketing. 

We did not know anything, at least in a practical w^ay, 
about Egg Circles in the Bellviev^ school district until the 
winter before last. Before that time nearly all the eggs 
produced on our farms were sold at the stores in Rockford 
or to peddlers who traded tinware and other things for 



250 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

them. Only Mrs. Matheson and Mrs. Lockhart had 
private customers. No one paid a great deal of attention 
to the hens on our farms. The breeds were mixed greatly 
and I do not think there was a first-rate hen house in the 
whole neighborhood. Ours was as good as any, and it 
was only a makeshift in one end of the pig pen. And as 
for cleaning, you know about how much of that would be 
done! 

But Mr. Waldison started us thinking. He is our 
teacher. He was brought up here and Hves near the 
school. He has taught in our school for about three 
years. Two years ago he commenced to teach us Agri- 
culture. Although he was brought up on a farm he de- 
cided to go to the Agricultural College for a summer 
course for teachers. Ever since he has been telling us 
things that he learned there. He says it was the best 
schooling he ever had. It has been good for us, too. 
In fact, the whole neighborhood has benefited. 

After he came home from the summer school he began 
overhauling his own hen house. He was not satisfied 
with it any longer. I^ cannot tell you all he and his 
father did to it, but when it was finished it looked good 
enough to have its picture in a poultry book. He brought 
home some young Barred Rock chicks too. They did 
not look any difterent from any other common chicks of 
that breed, but Mr. Waldison was very proud of them. 
He had hatched them in an incubator at the college. 
Every one of them was from an egg laid by a hen that had 
a record of over 180 eggs a year. They were the best 
strain of bred-to-lay Barred Rocks in the country, he said. 
I suppose he had good reason to be proud of them at that 
rate. 



OUR SCHOOL EGG CIRCLE 



251 



During the fall term we had some interesting lessons 
on poultry keeping. One week we discussed Breeds of 
Fowl. Another week we spent the time on the question 
of Housing. Later we had lessons on Winter Feeding 
and the Marketing of Poultry Products. I never knew 
there were so many interesting things to know about 
poultry until we took these lessons. Of course, we 
talked about them at home, for we prepared for our les- 




. f. 


'^.m'.^^ 






-,ll 



A Convenient House and Yard 



sons by asking questions at home and reading from the 
newspapers and bulletins. In our lessons on Marketing 
Mr. Waldison told us about Egg Circles, and how success- 
ful they had been in some parts of the United States and 
in other countries. When I told Mother and Father 
about this they were quite interested. So were several of 
our neighbors. 

Not long after, a meeting was called at the school to 
discuss the question. Mr. Waldison wrote to invite Mr. 
Davis, the County Agent, to come and speak. The result 
of the meeting was that the Bellview Egg Circle was 
established, with Father as chairman, and Mr. Waldi- 
son as secretary and manager. By-laws were adopted 



252 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

and rules and regulations laid down to guide members. 
All these were very simple. The plan aimed at making 
a good name for all eggs stamped with the Bell view 
Egg Circle stamp. Mr. Davis helped Mr. Waldison to 
get in touch with reliable dealers who wanted to secure a 
steady supply of choice eggs. 

From the very start the Egg Circle was a success. 
Mr. Waldison proved a good manager, and insisted on 
every one's hving up to the rules. The first eggs were 
shipped in February. The returns were five cents a dozen 
higher than most people expected. People became in- 
terested and wanted to know more about the business. 

Another meeting was held, and for this Mr. Waldison 
asked Mr. Mercer, a poultry expert from the Agricul- 
tural College, to come and speak. The older pupils at 
the school were invited to attend, and nearly all of us 
were there. Mr. Mercer gave us a good talk on the 
best ways of caring for poultry. He was asked a great 
many questions. One of the things he suggested was 
that every member of the Egg Circle should keep only 
one breed. He showed, too, what advantages there 
would be if every one would keep the same breed. 

He explained how the poultry department of the 
Agricultural College assisted districts to attain this by 
seUing eggs from their bred-to-lay Barred Plymouth 
Rocks through the schools. The plan was to get the 
children interested in improving flocks as part of their 
agricultural school work. These were the same strain 
as Mr. Waldison had. He advised us to send in our 
orders soon and get an early start. The eggs were sold 
at 50 cents a dozen to pupils. People who did not have 
children at school could get neighbors' children to order 



OUR SCHOOL EGG CIRCLE 253 

for them. All the members of the Egg Circle fell in with 
the idea. No one fancied any other breed more than 
the Barred Rocks, and in fact that was the commonest 
kind amongst our mixed flocks. 

So our school sent in an order for forty dozen eggs. 
Every family represented in the school ordered at least 
one dozen. I ordered three dozen for ourselves and two 
dozen for my Uncle James. We sent the money on the 
20th of March, and received the eggs on the 12th of April. 
It seemed a long time to wait. Most of us had clucking 
hens that we were keeping to set. The eggs came in 
good condition. There were only five eggs broken, and 
as the college had sent a few extra ones, no one was dis- 
appointed. There was a printed circular sent with the 
eggs, explaining the best way to set a hen and to care for 
her while she was brooding. We did not need this very 
much, however, as we had been reading about this, and 
had discussed the matter in one of our agricultural lessons 
during the time we had been waiting for the eggs. 

Nearly every one had a good hatch. I was one of the 
luckiest. From the three dozen eggs I had thirty good 
chicks. Uncle James' folks had twenty-three from their 
two dozen. Tom Wilson had the poorest luck. He got 
only six chicks. We had lots of fun comparing notes 
with one another about our chickens. In class we figured 
out the results from all the eggs and found there was a 
seventy per cent hatch. Mr. Waldison was head of us 
all, for he had set eggs that he got from their own hens 
two weeks before we got our eggs. We were all sure we 
were going to have the best birds. I assure you they were 
well attended to, for our fathers and mothers were inter- 
ested as much as we were. This was partly because the 



254 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Egg Circle was very successful, and partly because we 
were so interested. The dealers wanted Mr. Waldison to 
ship them all the eggs he possibly could. They said they 
were very satisfactory, and they were willing to pay the 
very highest price for them. This made every person 
anxious to follow Mr. Mercer's advice. 

Uncle Ralph's Proposition 

When Uncle Ralph Hotson (he is Mother's brother) 
came down from Doverfield for his vacation in August, 
he was greatly interested in our chickens and the Egg 
Circle. He was brought up in this district, and always 
likes to come back and give us a hand with the harvest. 
He works in the office of a very large factory where more 
than a thousand hands are employed. He has a pretty 
good position, but he says that Father is better off than 
he is. Father and he argue about it good-naturedly. 

Uncle used to come with me often when I was feeding 
the chickens. One evening he asked me what I was 
going to do with the eggs from my hens. I had eighteen 
pullets. I said that I supposed I would sell them with the 
Circle eggs, except those that would be needed for hatching 
in the spring. He said, "Why not get the girls and boys 
in the school to form a Junior Egg Circle? If you will 
ship me a crate of good, high-grade eggs once a week, I will 
see that you get the best city retail price for them. I am 
sure that the men who work in our office will be glad to 
have them. Talk it over, and next December, when the 
pullets start to lay, write to me." 

So in the fall we talked it over at school, and asked Mr. 
Waldison his opinion about it. He thought it would be 



OUR SCHOOL EGG CIRCLE 255 

a good idea. He advised us to be business-like, and have 
a clear understanding about everything we started. We 
did not think we could do any better than to follow in 
the footsteps of the older people's Egg Circle. We there- 
fore organized ourselves as the Bellview School Egg Circle. 
Nellie Lavers was appointed chairman, and I was elected 
secretary-treasurer and manager. Dave Thomas, Isabel 
Howie, and Harry Taylor were the rest of the committee. 
We decided to follow the same rules and regulations 
that Mr. Waldison's Circle used, but drew up a brief 
constitution of our own. 

The first thing to settle was the terms under which we 
could buy the eggs at home. Mr. Waldison thought we 
should pay our fathers (I paid Mother) a fair rate for the 
feed and housing. He suggested 15 cents as a summer 
price, and 18 cents as a winter price. The matter was 
discussed by the "Big Egg Circle," as we called the other 
one, at one of their meetings, and every one agreed to the 
plan. They also consented to let us use their stamps, 
and to lend us what shipping boxes we might need. We 
were to limit our business to two crates a week, and pay 
our share of hauling the eggs to the express office at Rock- 
ford. Besides, it was understood that we would pay for 
any damages to boxes. 

It was now the end of November. Our pullets were 
starting to lay. We were following Mr. Waldison's 
methods of feeding * pretty closely. You can imagine 
we were all anxious to start operations. I had written 
Uncle Ralph and told him how things were going. He 
sent word back that his friends in the office' were all 
anxious to get the eggs. "Send them along as soon as 
you can," he said. "We will settle the express charges 



256 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

here, pay you a good fair price, and send you a money 
order for the balance." 

We made our first shipment on the 15 th of November. 
The boys and girls who belonged to the Circle brought the 
eggs to school in the morning of the 14th, and I packed 
them at Mr. Waldison's after four o'clock. The other 
two boys on the committee helped me carry them over. 
We arranged to have just the right number brought to 
fill the crate. The eggs were small, of course, and we 
did not expect to get as good a price as large-sized eggs 
would bring. They were all clean, though, and neatly 
stamped. The crate went off the next morning with a 
shipment from the Big Circle. 

It was on Wednesday that we brought the eggs to 
school, and it was the next Wednesday before we heard 
from my Uncle Ralph. It seemed a long time. His 
letter was very encouraging. The eggs had arrived in 
good shape on Friday. His friends had taken them 
home on Saturday, and the reports that he got on Mon- 
day when they paid him were that they "could not be 
beaten." Our market. Uncle said, was secure just as long 
as we could send such clean, fresh eggs. We had a good 
laugh at the "Big Circle" — our price was three cents 
better than theirs. The money order sent to me was for 
$8.25. The eggs brought 35 cents a dozen, but there was 
60 cents express charge. I kept out my allowance of one 
half cent a dozen, and another half cent to pay our share 
of hauling expenses, and paid the boys and girls 32 cents 
a dozen. 

For the rest of the winter we sent a crate every week. 
In the spring we began sending two crates. At Uncle's 
suggestion we began packing them in one and two-dozen 



OUR SCHOOL EGG CIRCLE 



257 




An Egg Carton 



egg cartons. This made it much more convenient to 
handle them in the office at Doverfield. We were paid 
an extra cent for this. It made it handier for us too, for 
instead of bringing the eggs to school, they were taken 
with the home eggs to Mr. Waldison already packed in 
the cartons. I had no trouble in keeping track of the 
shippers, for the boys and girls wrote their names on 
the outside of the 
cartons, and also 
stamped them with 
the egg stamp. 

Every week, regu- 
larly, on Wednesday 
the money order 
came back for our 
previous week's ship- 
ment. Mr. Waldison would get it cashed for me, and on 
Friday I would pay each member his or her share. To 
do this I had to have a good deal of small change some- 
times. There was never any misunderstanding, as I 
would put up a statement of each shipment on the 
school bulletin board every week, and also Uncle Ralph's 
letter, showing the price paid. Never once was there a 
report of a bad egg, not even of a blood spot. There 
was not a girl or a boy in the Circle who did not take 
the greatest pains to send only first class eggs. W^e 
were very proud of the high reputation we had made. 

When Uncle Ralph came down this year for his holi- 
days, we had a meeting of the Circle at our place. He 
gave us a talk and explained what a large business could 
be built up, just in poultry products alone, between our 
neighborhood and Doverfield. I think we all appreciated 



258 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

this, for every one of us had a nice little bank account 
started. From November 15 to August i I had sold 
on an average four dozen eggs a week at an average of 
27 cents a dozen. After paying Mother her share for 
the feed, and keeping some for spending money, I had 
$20.00 in the bank. Nine dollars of this amount was my 
allowance for managing the business. 

When school opens this fall, new officers will have to 
be elected. NelHe Lavers and I will not be going back. 
Dave Thomas will make a good manager, though, and 
with Mr. Waldison's encouragement there is no reason 
why the Bellview School Egg Circle should not continue 
to prosper. I think every one realizes that success de- 
pends on fair dealing — fair dealing among ourselves and 
fair dealing for our customers at Doverfield. I do not 
know of any one in our school who was not always anxious 
to uphold the honor of the Egg Circle. 

I suppose I shall join Father now in the Big Circle. It 
is not settled yet, but Mother and I have talked it over. 
She thinks a partnership scheme would be the best way 
to arrange the business, and that I should take over the 
chief care of all the poultry, keep account of the costs 
and gains, and take half the profits. I think Father will 
agree. He generally does when Mother and I decide on 
anything. 

Constitution 

Name. — The name of this association shall be the Bellview School Egg Circle. 

Objects. — The objects of this association shall be {a) to market the eggs 
produced by the poultry owned by pupils of the school, in a cooperative 
way; {b) to train its members in methods of cooperation as a part of 
their education; (c) to help in the improvement of the poultry business 
of the section. 



OUR SCHOOL EGG CIRCLE 259 

Membership. — Any boy or girl attending the Bellview School is eligible 
to membership upon agreeing to observe all the rules of the Circle. There 
shall be no membership fee. 

Officers. — The officers shall consist of a president, a secretary-treasurer 
who shall be the manager also, and three representatives from different 
classes in the school. They shall be elected in the month of September 
as soon as convenient after the opening of school. 

Meetings. — Meetings may be called at any time by the president or mana- 
ger as arranged with the teacher. 

By-Laws 

1. The manager shall have charge of the collection, shipping, and sale 
of eggs. He shall divide the returns among the members upon a fair and 
Just basis after deducting aU charges and shall exhibit aU correspondence 
and reports dealing with the business of the Circle upon the school bulletin 
board. The manager's remuneration shall be one-half cent a dozen. 

2. Members of the association are subject to the following rules: — 

a. Poultry houses must be kept clean and sanitary. 
h. The fowls must be well fed and well cared for. 

c. Eggs must be gathered twice a day and kept in a cool place free 

from foul odors, dampness and draughts. 

d. No nest eggs that will in any way taint the new laid eggs may be 

used. 

e. All eggs must be clean, of good size, unbroken, and not more 

than one week old. Dirty eggs are not to be marketed. 
/. Members shaU be permitted to dispose of eggs from hens owned 

by their young brothers and sisters but not of eggs from hens 

owned by others. 
g. Eggs must be stamped or initialed on the broad end before 

deUvery so that the producer may be known. 
h. Every member shall pledge himself or herself to assist in every 

way possible to prevent any carelessness or mistakes that 

would injure the good name of the Circle for honesty and high 

quahty of eggs. 

1. Cooperation is a very necessary condition for success in all interests 
of life — in work, in play, in business, in religion, in politics. For happiness 
and success in school life it is no less necessary. Learn to cooperate well at 
school in all undertakings. 

2. Along with cooperative selling and buying schemes at the school, 
there should be a saving and banking scheme. Schools may make arrange- 



26o RURAL SCIENCE READER 

ments for this with a local bank, deposits being sent in regularly every week 
or every two weeks. The plan may be carried out also through the Post 
Office Savings Bank, or by the purchase of Thrift Stamps, War Savings 
Stamps and Certificates. 

3. There are other marketing schemes in which pupils in country schools 
can cooperate. Good business connections may be made by selling berries 
in the summer and nuts in the fall. Mushrooms in some districts go to 
waste. Garden produce, such as choice sweet corn, finds a ready sale. 
Boys making bird houses, rustic furniture, hanging baskets, etc., may find 
dealers willing to handle their products. 

4. Cooperation in buying might also be undertaken by your school. 
Supplies of seed for home gardens, eggs for the Poultry Club, select corn for 
the Corn Club, and improved seed for the Potato Club could be bought to 
advantage by clubbing together. School supplies, such as lead pencils, pens, 
note books, plant mount papers, and writing paper may be purchased. 
Badges for the Progress Club and uniform caps and sweaters for the boys' 
school uniform might be bought. A school committee should be appointed 
for such undertakings. 

5. The Department of Agriculture has published several bulletins on 
marketing eggs and other poultry products. Send for copies of these and 
make a study of them in your agricultural classes. 



CHAPTER XXXni 

Our Play and Games — How the Chalk River School 
Interests itself and its Neighborhood in Recreation 




" Work while you work and play while you play, 
That is the way to be happy and gay." 

Some people do not know that a playground is part of a school. Boys 
and girls learn useful lessons in playing outdoors as well as in studying from 
books indoors. 

One learns to follow his leader, to be loyal to his team, to obey rules, to 
work together for a common aim, to control his temper, to think quickly, 
to guard himself and team-mates, to make his body answer his will, to look 
ahead, to use his eyes and ears as well as his feet and hands, to forget both- 
ersome things and to enjoy healthy exercise. 

These are all valuable lessons. While learning them, the boy or girl 
who plays in the right spirit may become stronger, quicker, happier, more 
helpful to others, more considerate of others, more fond of his or her school. 
If in the wrong spirit he or she may become a horrid thing! Who wants to 
be a horrid thing? 

All work and no play makes the country a dull place. The country 
should be the pleasantest place in the world. Learn to play and do not 
forget to play. 



262 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." But all play and no 
work makes Jack a useless fellow. 

Do not be dull and do not be useless. 

Play and Work! Work and Play! Have a Hobby! 

Our school is a happy place — most of the time. Of 
course occasionally some one is hurt or some one gets into 
disgrace over lessons or misconduct. It could hardly be 
a school with hearty, natural children without troubles 
of this sort. But generally, every one is happy. We 
have a lot of pleasures to count against our sorrows. If 
there are punishments, there are also rewards. If there 
are some things we do not like — there are also fun and 







X 












X 




X 



Slate Games 



play and games. We play at noon hour. We play at 
intermission — unless we are kept in. We come early to 
school so that we can play before the bell rings. We 
play sometimes for a while after four o'clock. I don't 
know what we would do if we could not play! 

Most of us like our school work. There is pleasure in 
it. And we have singing and story-teUing and Friday 
afternoon programs. Those are enjoyable. Outdoors 
we run and skip and shout and laugh. That is fun. In 
the winter there is sliding and snowballing and building 



OUR PLAY AND GAMES 263 

snow men. In the summer we have our swing and 
teeter. We play all sorts of games outdoors and in the 
school. 

One of the first games I remember learning was Tit- 
tat-to. Before I started to school, my brother Rob showed 
me how to play it. The game is very popular at our school 
yet. All the younger children — and some of the older 
ones too — like to play it. Miss Marshall lets us do 
so when we have our seat-work finished, provided 
we do not make too much noise. When you have 
your hand over your eyes and cannot see the slate, it 
is hard often to prevent Tit-tat-to, around I go making 
itself heard. The Tit-tat-to, three men in a row is not 
so noisy. We sometimes play this game on the black- 
board if it is too wet to go outdoors to play. Our 
teacher likes us to go out, however, for a good play 
whenever the weather is suitable. She says we need the 
fresh air. 

How many games do you know? 

It is wonderful how many kinds of plays and games 
there are. For one of our lessons. Miss Marshall asked 
us one day to find out at home what kinds of plays and 
games our mothers and fathers used to play when they 
were young. There were some interesting stories told 
of old-fashioned Hallowe'en games and old-fashioned 
dances that are not often seen nowadays. 

Then another day we made a list of all the games or 
amusements that are played either by the children or the 
grown-up people in our neighborhood. Counting the 
old-fashioned games and the newer ones together, we 
found that we knew of more than one hundred and fifty 
games. We grouped them into the following classes 



264 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



where we could. Of course, most of the games belonged 
to two or more lists. 



Babies' plays and games 
Little boys' plays and games 
Little girls' plays and games 
School boys' plays and games 
Young people's plays and games 
Older people's plays and games 



Ball games 
Athletic games 
Singing games 
Dramatic games 
Dances 
Games with card^ 



Tricks 

Puzzles 

Trials of strength 

Trials of dexterity 

Memory tests 

Hobbies 



Miss Marshall plays with us a good deal. She seems 
to enjoy playing as much as we do. She has taught us 
a number of new games. Playing does not seem to hinder, 
us in our studies at all. In fact, I believe we can learn 
better after a good game. Some games the girls play by 
themselves, some are for the boys, and some we play to- 
gether. Not counting different kinds of races or jumping, 
we play about twenty-five games at our school. We 
do not play them all every day, of course. Some of them 
are played very seldom. We will play one game a good 
deal for a while and then it will be set aside and may be 
forgotten for weeks. 

This is the list: 



Singing Games 
Here we go Round the Mul- 
berry Bush 
Green Gravel 
London Bridge 
The Farmer in the Dell 



Follow your Leader 
Pom Pom Pull Away 
Fox and Geese 
Cat and Rat 
Duck on the Rock 
Three Deep 



Ball Games 
Baseball 
Volley Ball 
Dodge Ball 
Hand Ball 



Seven Kinds of Tag 
Common Tag 
Cross Tag 
Stone Tag 
Home Tag 
French Tag 
Whip Tag 



Pussy Wants a Corner 
Blind Man's Blu£E 
Jacob and Rachael 
Drop the Handkerchief 
Hide and go Seek 



OUR PLAY AND GAMES 265 

Besides these the boys wrestle and scuffle a good deal. 
Occasionally there is a quarrel that leads to a fight. That 
does not happen very often, and it does not seem to make 
the boys bad friends very long. From what Father tells 
me, there was far more fighting among the boys when he 
went to school. In his time they played "shinny" a 
great deal too, and often got hurt. It is not played now. 
There are not as many big boys at the school now as 
there used to be. 

We have had a great deal of pleasure this year in play- 
ing baseball. Our school grounds are not large enough 
for the common kind of baseball, so we play with what 
is called an indoor baseball. We bought the ball and 
bats for $2.00 with part of the funds raised at our Christ- 
mas entertainment last year. The ball is large and soft. 
Girls can play the game almost as well as boys. The 
bats are small, and a space about sixty feet square is big 
enough for the game. One has to be even quicker in 
running and throwing in this game than in ordinary 
baseball. With Miss Marshall on our side, the girls have 
been able to beat the boys in some of our matches. 

Besides the baseball, we bought a round soccer foot- 
ball for ourselves with $3.00 taken from our Christmas 
concert funds. We do not use it for football, however, 
though the boys like to kick it about, but for volley ball, 
dodge ball, hand ball and basket ball. These are good 
games. 

I think volley ball is the best liked. At any rate we 
play it most. To separate the sides we tie a rope between 
the two basket-ball stakes at a height of about five feet. 
The game is to bat the ball with the open hand back from 
one side to the other without letting it touch the ground. . 



266 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



A point is counted when the opposite side fails to keep 
the ball from touching the ground within the court. 

Dodge ball requires great quickness. One side forms 
a large open ring around the players of the opposite side. 
The ball is then thrown at the players within the circle. 
When any one is hit, he has to retire. The game is to 
see which side can put out the other more quickly. Miss 
Marshall keeps the time for us with her watch. I think 



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Volley Ball Court 

George Bradshaw is the cleverest dodger in the whole 
school. It sometimes takes a long time to put him out. 

The game of hand ball is much Uke baseball. Instead 
of using a bat, the football is tossed up by the batter 
and struck with the hand. 

We have not made as much of a success of basket ball 
as of the other ball games. We have not enough pupils 
old enough to get very good sides. In the other games 
it does not make so much difference if the players are 
different sizes. 

All our games are not played outdoors. One of the 
indoor games that we Hke best is a relay arithmetic 



OUR PLAY AND GAMES 267 

match. Usually we choose sides for it. Sometimes the 
boys compete against the girls, and sometimes one class 
races another. The blackboard is cleared in readiness. 
Equal numbers of pupils arrange themselves at corre- 
sponding desks of two rows. The teacher gives the 
word, " Go." The first two run to the blackboard, put 
down a number of three different figures, run back, and 
hand the chalk to the pupils in the next seats. These 
immediately run up and put down another number made 
up of figures differing from those in the first number. 
Then the number 3's race, and so on. The last two 
pupils have to add up the column correctly and run back 
to their seats. There is a good deal of excitement when 
some one fumbles the chalk or makes a mistake in adding. 
Sometimes multiplication and division problems are 
used instead of sums. 

After we learned the Arithmetic race, we tried Geog- 
raphy and Spelling Races on similar plans. They have 
worked out pretty well. We like inventing games. For 
the Geography race, we draw the outlines of two maps, 
such as Europe, on the blackboard. When Miss Mar- 
shall calls out the name of a country or a place, the con- 
testants have to run up and write it on the map. 

Joan Miers is good at inventing games. One Friday 
afternoon we had a blindfold house-building contest of 
her planning. It provided a great deal of merriment. 
First two outlines of houses were drawn on the black- 
board. Then sides were chosen and the contestants 
bhndfolded and seated in the front seats. Each was 
provided with chalk. As the teacher called out "chim- 
ney" or "front-door" or "smoke" the pupils had to go 
carefully up to the blackboard in turn and draw the 



268 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



thing where he thought it should be. They built queer- 
looking houses. 

The people in our district are interested in our play. 
Nearly every day some person stops as he passes the 
school to watch us for a few minutes at our noon or re- 
cess games. Old Mr. Nixon, who lives only a short dis- 
tance down the road, often walks up to visit us at the 




A Country Home with Tennis Court 

afternoon recess. He says it keeps him young to watch 
us. He has promised to help us buy anything we need 
at any time, and he gave Miss Marshall $2.00 for new 
baseballs. 

The play at school is not the only play in the neigh- 
borhood. A tennis court has been laid out this year at 
Watson's, where Miss Marshall boards. Nearly every 
evening there is a game there. Miss Marshall is a good 
player and has taught a number of the older girls and 
boys how to play. Some other people are thinking of 
starting tennis at their homes also. 



OUR PLAY AND GAMES 269 

At our school picnic last June we had a great after- 
noon of play. It was a beautiful day, and there was a 
large crowd of people present. The pupils and people 
of the Rockview and Kirkton schools were present as our 
guests. The year before we had been the guests at 
Rockview. They gave us a splendid reception then, and 
we tried to make them feel at home with us this year. I 
think they did. So did the guests from Kirkton. Next 
year we shall likely all join at Kirkton for our Play Day 
and Picnic. 

We had a program for the afternoon. To carry it 
out the teachers had the help of the school trustees and 
some of the older boys. The first part of the program 
was carried out on our school grounds. All the schools 
prepared something special. Each sang a song and gave 
its yell. Then the Rockview pupils gave a flag drill, 
the Kirkton school performed a Swedish folk dance and 
the older girls of our school went through a May pole 
dance. There were short speeches next from our minis- 
ster, Mr. Burns, Superintendent Magrath, and Mrs. 
Magrath, who came over from Griswold for the day. 

The second part of the program was carried out in 
the~ field across the road. It is a level pasture meadow, 
and Mr. Donaldson was good enough to invite us to use 
it. He also went to some trouble to roll part of it where 
the ball games were to be played. 

I can hardly tell you all the things that were done. 
There were races for the boyfe and girls of different ages, 
for the school trustees, for the teachers, for old bachelors. 
There were walking matches for grandfathers and grand- 
mothers, for young women and for married women. 
There were relay races, jockey races, obstacle races, 



270 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

potato races, and three-legged races. There was a 
thread-the-needle race, an all-day-sucker race, and a pie- 
eating contest. 

After the races the ball games were played. Perhaps 
the most enjoyable of these was the volley ball match 
played between a picked team of boys from the three 
schools and their fathers. The boys had the better of 
the game in practice and won by a score of 8 to 4 in the 
twenty minutes allowed for the match. The baseball 
match played between picked teams of married and un- 
married men provided a great deal of excitement too. 
Only five innings were played, but there was as much 
fun as one generally sees in a nine-innings game. The 
indoor baseball was used for this match. 

There was a contest between the girls of the three 
schools in ring ball. The Kirkton school won. The best 
of feeling was shown by the girls in their play, and the 
Kirkton girls were given three cheers by the others. This 
good feeling was shown everywhere throughout the after- 
noon. There was no quarrelling to be seen or heard. The 
committee in charge made it their business to see that 
the day should result in neighborliness and friendships 
and not in jealousies and bad feeling. Every one went 
home feehng happier for having joined in the Play Day. 

After the games there was the picnic over in the school 
grounds. It was a very happy time. Every one was 
hungry. Every one was in good humor. The "eats" 
were the best. Before breaking up the crowd gathered 
at the front of the school and cheers were given by our 
guests in honor of the Chalk River School. All then 
joined in singing our national anthem. It was half an 
hour or more before every one got away. There was a 



OUR PLAY AND GAMES 271 

great deal of handshaking to be done by old friends who 
had a chance only once a year to have a good time to- 
gether at the school. We could hear the cheering from 
far down the roads as the people drove to their homes. 
It was a good sign that they had enjoyed themselves. 

Suggestions 

1. Buy a play book, such as Bancroft's Gaines for the Playground, Home, 
School and Gymnasium, for your school library. Some boys like to learn 
to do sleight of hand tricks; buy a book on this subject too. 

2. Occasionally one hears of a liberal friend of the school giving land 
to enlarge the playground. Some people also make gifts of "play appa- 
ratus" in memory of children. These ideas should be encouraged. 

3. Frequently the surface of school grounds is uneven, and so is unfit and 
dangerous for playing games. Have a bee at the school to level the grounds 
on Arbor Day, and afterwards arrange for a School Grounds Committee to 
see that small hollows are levelled up and stones removed. The school 
grounds should be well drained, so that they will not remain muddy after 
rains. If part of the grounds is covered with cinders, it permits play to go 
on between showers. 

4. Join with the neighboring schools in your district and organize a 
Community Play Day. Arrange the competitions so that rivalry between 
schools will not lead to disagreements, but rather to friendUer relations aU 
round. Any money raised should be for charitable or patriotic purposes, 
or to enlarge school grounds, estabUsh scholarsliips, etc. 

5. The fear of breaking windows frequently hinders ball games. To 
prevent such accidents protect the windows with wire netting. This can 
be put up at little expense by the boys of the school, and if care is taken 
it will not be unattractive. For replacing window panes the school should 
have a glass-cutter and putty knife as part of its manual training equip- 
ment. 

6. A hobby is a very good thing for one to have, provided one does not 
ride it to death. There are a great number of hobbies that people take 
pleasure in, such as collecting stamps, coins, picture postcards, fossils, 
minerals, plants, insects; experimenting with electricity; photography; 
keeping rabbits, pigeons, poultry; gardening, fancy-work, bee-keeping, 
reading, drawing, painting. 

7. The American Playground Association aims to promote play and 
recreation in the schools of the country. Write for particulars regarding 
their "Athletic Badge Tests." 



CHAPTER XXXIV 

Our Consolidated School — How the Malton Neighbor- 
hood Came into Possession of a Community School 




There must be progress in education as well as in other human concerns, 
such as medical science, politics, or transportation. 

Old outworn things should pass away for new things to take their place. 
It is the law of progress. 

For new settlements or out-of-the-way old settlements the old-fashioned, 
one-teacher country school still has its good work to do. And it cannot be 
too good a school for this work. 

But for old, well-settled districts, with no serious diiEculties to hinder, 
it is time for the estabUshment of Consohdated Schools. The law of prog- 
ress demands it. 

If farmers can cooperate in a large way in business affairs, in church 
affairs, and in political affairs, there is no good reason why they cannot 
also cooperate more largely in educational affairs; to give every boy and girl 
in the country the opportunity to get a High School education without 
going away from home, as befitting citizenship in the great American republic. 

Thanks largely to Mr. and Mrs. Oakley, we have a 
Consolidated School at Malton. If it had not been for 



OUR CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL 273 

their generosity and tact, we very likely should still be 
attending poor, old-fashioned, one-teacher schools in 
this neighborhood. 

The story of how our new school came into existence 
is interesting. Malton is a pretty country village with 
a population of about one hundred and fifty people, 
located near the centre of Erie County. There are two 
general stores, a blacksmith shop, a grist mill, and three 
churches in the place, but oddly enough it had no school 
until two years ago. On the south side of the main 
street the children used to walk one and a half miles to 
what was called the Brick School. Those who lived on 
the north side of the street attended the St. Clair School 
about a mile and a quarter from the village. It was a 
very awkward arrangement, but people had grown used 
to it. East of the village at a distance of about two and 
a half miles there was the old Mud Creek School, and on 
the west, about three miles out. Number 1 1 , or the Lavery 
School, as it was called, was located. 

The older boys and girls, who were given a High School 
education, attended either the High School at Redvale, 
ten miles east of Malton, or the High School at Norwich, 
eleven miles northwest of us. Some one usually carried 
them in Monday morning and went after them Friday 
afternoon. However, there were not very many who 
sent their children to High School, and those who did, 
as a rule, could very well afford to do so. A few people 
who could afford it and who would have liked to give their 
children the advantages of the High School did not care 
to have them living in boarding houses in a strange town, 
and so did not send them. My Uncle George was one 
of these. Now he is sorry that the Consolidated School 



274 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



was not thought of ten years ago. If it had been started 
then, the two older of my cousins as well as many others 
in the neighborhood would have received much more 
schooHng than they did. 

I think Mr. Gregory, the minister, and Mr. Waldbrook, 
the blacksmith, were the first to propose a consohdated 
school for Malton. Mr. Waldbrook was anxious for the 
school, as he realized that his two children, George and 
Ruby, would soon be ready for the High School and that 
he could not afford to send them away from home. Mr. 
Gregory wished to see such a school established for the 
good of the whole community. He realized from his 
daily contact with the people that they were poorly 
served in education by their old, neglected schools. 

Mr. Flood, the County Superintendent, favored con- 
solidation. He had advised the people in the Mud Creek 
and St. Clair districts that they would soon have to con- 
sider building new schools if they could not come to some 
arrangement about consolidation. The schools in the 
Lavery and Brick School districts were not much better. 
They were sadly in need of a thorough overhauling. In 
all the districts the attendance was very low and irregu- 
lar. Sad to tell, a large proportion of the boys left school 
with very meagre schooling. The girls were not kept 
home so much, however, and the result was that girls 
were being far better educated than the boys were. 

It is surprising how some people become attached to 
the old schools that they have starved and neglected for 
years, whenever a proposal is made to consolidate. The 
talk started by the minister and Mr. Waldbrook resulted 
before long in raising quite a storm in our quiet old neigh- 
borhood. A miniature war developed, with a small, 



OUR CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL 275 

aggressive offensive fighting a large and well-established 
defensive, and a considerable number of neutrals looking 
on, unconcerned which way the battle ended. The 
minister was the leader of one side and Mr. Morril, who 
Hved near the Mud Creek School, became the champion 
of the other side. Superintendent Flood remained neu- 
tral. He wanted the people to decide for themselves in 
their own affairs. 

Those who favored consolidation were as a rule people 
who were anxious to give their children a good schooling 
or those who had read about such schools in the papers 
and magazines. Those who opposed the idea were as a 
rule people whose famihes had grown past school age or 
people who did not value education for their children. 
Mr. Morril and some others like him were very much 
afraid that their taxes would be increased and their farms 
be lowered in value because of losing a near-by school. 
Selfishness and ignorance have always been hindrances 
to human progress. The common story was that the 
people in Malton wanted to have a good school built in 
their village at the expense of the people in the country 
round about. Mr. Morril's followers could not under- 
stand that there might be some people unselfish enough 
to take up an unpopular cause for the good of the com- 
munity and its future citizens. 

There is one fine thing to be said about the warfare. 
It was carried on fairly. While there was plenty of plain 
speaking and not a little warm feeling, no real quarrelhng 
developed. This was largely due to the good general- 
ship of Mr. Gregory. He kept good natured himself 
and cautioned his followers against stirring up strife. 

"We want a Consolidated School at Malton very 



276 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

much," he said, "but we want still more a community 
with neighbors living together in peace." 

"A new school with enemies surrounding it could bring 
but Httle benefit to us," he would say. "Some of our 
children might get a little more schooling, but it would 
be at too high a cost. Down in Ferndale in Elgin County, 
where my brother lived at one time, they started a com- 
munity quarrel over a new school such as we propose for 
Malton, and ever since the district has been hardly a fit 
place for Christian people to live in — and they have not 
the new school either. Slow but sure wins the day. If 
we are right, we shall win in the long run." 

There was one good that resulted from the discussions. 
People became more interested in their schools. The 
teachers were agreeably surprised with more regular 
attendance and better prepared lessons. Some began 
to ask for information. Mr. Parfitt said, "If we are go- 
ing to argue and wrangle over this subject, let us do it 
intelligently. I want to know all about ConsoHdated 
Schools before I pass judgment on them." 

So, to get some light on the subject, Mr. Flood was 
asked to arrange for a public meeting and to secure a 
speaker from the Department of Education. Two meet- 
ings were held. One took place in the afternoon. At 
this there was a good attendance of the women of the 
neighborhood with most of the trustees of the near-by 
school districts. A Uvely discussion took place. The 
opposition to the school was strong, chiefly on the ques- 
tion of cost. In the evening the village hall was filled 
with people, and the speaker showed with lantern shdes 
what was going on in consolidation throughout America. 
The new school for Malton looked more promising as 



OUR CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL 277 

several women became supporters of the idea. But the 
question of the cost was sufficiently difficult to enable 
Mr. Morril and his supporters to hold up the scheme. 

This is where Mr. and Mrs. Oakley come into the story. 
They proved to be the reserves that won the battle. 
This generous-hearted old couple had lived in the village 
for over forty years. Mr. Oakley kept one of the stores. 
They were now planning to break up their home and go 
out to California to be near their children. They were 
not wealthy people by any means, but had more than 
enough to meet all their needs. They had always lived 
simply, and by careful management had saved a good 
competence for their old age. Both of them had always 
been interested in the welfare of the community and were 
generous supporters of their church. 

The discussion about the Consolidated School inter- 
ested Mr. Oakley greatly. He had many warm friends 
in the country about, some taking one side and some the 
other. He and the minister, too, were close friends. He 
finally caught Mr. Gregory's enthusiasm and one day 
nearly took that surprised man's breath away by offer- 
ing to deed his fine village property to the community 
if they would agree to locate the new school on it. 

"You see, Mr. Gregory," he said, "I have lived prac- 
tically all my life here. Mrs. Oakley was born in the 
old farmhouse just across the road. Our children were 
brought up here. We have had our good living and some- 
thing more from this community. 

"We are thinking of leaving it soon," he went on, 
with a little tremor in his voice, " and I would like to make 
a little return to the community for all the goodness that 
has blessed us. 



278 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



smmMm !^^■i^l m ';i\»m[jim pcmi'umnMWj'' 



"We had to send our own children away for their High 
School instruction when they were pretty young. I would 
like to think when I am away from here in California 
that I have left something that will make life better for 
the children and the children's children of my old friends 
in Malton. And Mrs. Oakley shares my feelings. 

"We would like to leave this for our monument in 
Malton, instead of a lifeless stone in the graveyard or a 
tablet in the church." 

Well, that's really the story of how Malton came to 
have its ConsoUdated School. Generosity breeds gener- 
osity. Five acres of 
land and a good house 
and barn as a gift con- 
vinced Mr. Morril and 
his party that consoli- 
dation could not be 
talked down. There 
was another public 
meeting at which all 
the discussion was on 
one side. People 
seemed to vie with one 
another in making special subscriptions so that the school 
could start off well. Mr. Morril contributed $200. The 
village doctor promised $100 a year for ten years in 
addition to his taxes. There was over $6000 subscribed 
from the four districts. Delegates were chosen to visit 
Consohdated Schools in Ohio to see what was best for our 
new school. They came back enthusiastic, and the result 
of it all is a Community School that gives every boy and 
girl within four miles of Malton the opportunity of the 



m MEMORY 

©P TTMB 



JAMES X OAKLEY 

m IBEHALF OIF 
THE CIHILBMEN 



5|__ ^___„______ 



The Memorial Tablet 



OUR CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL 279 

best possible schooling up to the age of sixteen or more. 
I do not need to describe the school. It is like the best 
Consolidated Schools that have come into existence lately 
in every state. 

The Oakleys are not forgotten. There is a brass tablet 
in the school commemorating their gift, and their old 
home, which is used as a teachers' residence, is called 
Oakley Hall. 

Suggestions 

1. Does the opinion prevail in your neighborhood that any one who is 
going to be a farmer does not require much schooUng? If it does, try to 
explain why this opinion is held. 

2. How well educated are the people in your district? Are there any 
who have lived there all their lives and who cannot read or write? How 
many have attended High School? Are there any who have attended 
College? 

3. Estimate the esteem in which education is held in your district by 
(i) the regularity of attendance, (2) the salary paid to the teacher, (3) the 
care of the school property, (4) the proportion of pupils who complete 
the work of the school, (5) the number of boys and girls who attend High 
School. 

4. Are the people in your neighborhood proud of their school because 
it has produced a large number of teachers, doctors, ministers, lawyers, or 
successful business men? Are they proud of its record in producing a large 
number of well-educated country folk? Do they base their opinion of the 
school's work solely on the number who pass examinations? 



CHAPTER XXXV 

Our School Correspondence — How a Friendship was 

Formed between an American School and an 

Indian School in the Far North 




lAUSTRALlAN 



It is good for a school to have an interest in other schools. 

All the world over, boys and girls are at school — in Africa, in Asia, in 
America, in Europe, and in Oceania. 

There may be a few out-of-the-way corners where boys and girls do not 
go to school, but the missionaries are gradually taking education to these 
places. 

When you feel sometimes that going to school is a great nuisance, just 
try to imagine what the world would be like without schools. 

You will become more interested in your own school when you tell an- 
other school about it. 

Would you not enjoy making friends with English-speaking boys and 
girls in some part of the world? 

You and they should grow up to respect one another and to like one 
another, for upon such regard depends in no small degree the progress of 



OUR SCHOOL CORRESPONDENCE 281 

the world into the safe democracy for which you and they are being sent 
to school, and for which your and their brothers have fought together on 
the battlefields of France and Flanders. 

When our teacher, Miss Nealon, was taking a course 
at the Agricultural College she became very well acquainted 
with a missionary- teacher, Miss Barker, who taught in 
an Indian School up at Hudson Bay. The two have cor- 
responded since and our school became much interested 
in the Moose Fort Indian School, as Miss Nealon told 
us about it and read Miss Barker's letters to us. 

Last fall Miss Nealon suggested that our school should 
write a school-letter to the pupils in the Indian school. 
We did so, telling about our school and our country. 
Fanny Stark was chosen to write the letter. We made a 
picture scrap-book too, putting in some of our own work 
and decorating it for a Christmas present, but this evi- 
dently did not get away in time to reach them for Christ- 
mas. For next year we are planning to send them a 
box of things such as stockings and doll's clothes. It is 
good for a school to have an interest in other schools. 

These letters wiU show what interests us in the school 
in the Far North,- One is from the teacher and the other 
is from her Indian pupils: 

Moose Fort Indian School, 
February 5, 1919. 
My dear Frierid: — 

I was very glad to get your letter, and the children were even 
more glad, if that is possible, to get the letter from your pupils. 
They were really very proud to think that another school is 
interested in them. It would have done you good, and your 
boys and girls too, if you could have seen how they smiled and 
talked. It was a very much read letter, I assure you. They 



282 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

have asked me all sorts of questions about you, many of which 
of course I cannot answer very well. They are all looking for- 
ward to receiving the picture scrap-book, which is likely held 
up at some place waiting for a dog-train. Even if it was too 
late for Christmas, it will be none the less welcome. My pupils 
are very fond of pictures, and some of them draw very well. 
We will send you some of their pictures. 

They have had a great time writing the answer to your pupils' 
letter. John Thomas had the honor of writing it, as he is our 
best writer. There were many letters written before this was 
decided on. 

They are very proud of being able to use our minimum 
thermometer and keep the records most diligently. Do not 
think we suffer from cold. The days are bright, and we have 
plenty of fuel. 

You will be interested to hear something of our agricultural 
work. I have still good hopes for it here. The children are 
interested, and since my short term at the Agricultural College 
I have been able to help them much more than I formerly 
could. It encourages me to know that my teacher-friends 
are working at the same problems with white children . 

Oats ripened here last fall, so we are hoping with more culti- 
vation to produce fair results in the near future and to be able 
to produce fodder for two horses, and for enough cows to keep 
thirty children in our boarding school supplied with milk and 
fresh meat the year around. 

As a result of an abnormal appetite, our two-year-old heifer 
came to an untimely end. It took a great fancy for chewing 
clothes on the line and did so every chance it got. One morn- 
ing we found the poor animal dead. We supposed it had choked 
itself. Some one told us it was because it did not get sufficient 
salt. If any one knows what to do with an animal with such a 
perverted taste we shall be glad to know, as this is not the first 
loss of the kind. 



OUR SCHOOL CORRESPONDENCE 283 

The seed of turnips, cabbage, beets, and potatoes that the 
Agricultural College so kindly sent last spring came on well, 
and we have been enjoying the results. Some of the turnips 
weighed 10 pounds, and the beets measured four inches in 
diameter. The carrots and cabbages were not very large, but 
were very good on the table. I think Moose Fort would be a 
good place for an Experimental Farm. The soil is a Hght clay 
loam and not wet. It would be good for our Indian and half- 
breed children to have more agricultural education than I can 
give them. I gave them a lesson in taking geranium cuttings 
and making potting earth last fall and it interested them very 
much. They are fond of flowers. 

We managed to bring a few hens with us when we came back. 
So far they are doing well. We have to feed them on corn meal, 
as we are unable to get grain. We are looking forward to eggs 
for Easter if the dogs do not get ahead of us and devour the 
chickens before then. The "huskies" are ravenous brutes 
and always have to be watched. 

So much for our agricultural projects. You will want to 
hear something about the other lines of work at the Mission. 

With much love to all my dear old friends of the Agricultural 
College and many happy memories of the time we spent to- 
gether, I remain, 

Your loving friend, 

Lucy I. Barker 



Moose Fort Indian School, 
February 2, 1919. 
Dear Friends: — 

We were very glad to get your letter telling about your 
country. Our country is not very much like yours. We think 
it must be very nice to see large fields of grain growing. 
We have no fields here, but some day we may grow things for 



284 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



ourselves. Our gardens were very good last year. We grew 
very nice beets, turnips, carrots, cabbage, and some cauliflower. 
We have to, take care the deer do not break into our gardens. 
We have a thermometer at our school to tell how cold it gets 
through the night. You think our country is very cold. This 
shows you how cold it was in January. Of course it is not so 
cold in the daytime. The 15th and the 29th were very nice 
days. 



Sunday 


Monday 


Tuesday 


Wednesday 


Thursday 


Friday 


Saturday 










1 

+ 7 


2 

+ 13 


3. 

+ 20 


4 

- IS 


5 

- 12 


6 

+ 10 


7 

+ 5 


8 

- 7 


9 

- 2 


10 

-23 


11 

- 10 


12 

-32 


13 

- 25 


14 

-s 


15 

+ 20 


16 

-5 


17 

- 20 


18 

-16 


19 

- 1 


20 

- 16 


21 

- 27 


22 

- 27 


23 

+ 10 


24 

-16 


25 

-31 


26 

- 24 


27 




28 

— -7 


29 

+ 20 


30 

- IS 


31 

- 19 



We like school. We learn reading, writing, spelHng, geog- 
raphy and we learn to work with tools and also at gardening in 
the summer time. 

Our teacher will send this letter to you when she writes to 
your teacher. Write to us again, please. 

From your Indian friends, 
John Thomas 



OUR SCHOOL CORRESPONDENCE 285 

Suggestions 

1. If you wish to begin correspondence with another school in your own 
state or in another state, address your letter to the county superintendent 
of any selected county, with the request that he give it to a suitable school 
to answer. You may arrange for a correspondence also by writing a letter 
to the "Children's Pages" that are to be found in many of the agricultural 
papers or newspapers and requesting another school to reply. 

2. To make a connection with a school in the British Empire, say in 
South Africa, India, Great Britain, Austraha or New Zealand, address 
The League of the Empire, 28 Buckingham Gate, Westminster, London 
England. The fee for membership, which covers the cost of a monthly 
magazine, is 5 shillings. Schools in the United States and Canada are wel- 
comed as members. To arrange correspondence with Canadian Schools, 
address Canadian Branch of The League of the Empire, 543 Euclid Avenue, 
Toronto, Ontario. 

3. Some schools, instead of sending a single school letter, send in one 
package several letters written by different pupils. These are distributed 
among the pupils in the receiving school and answered individually. Ar- 
range to write about different things. For example, one might describe 
a favorite game played at the school, another a historic place in the dis- 
trict, another the local river, another the weeds of the district, another 
what your school is doing in patriotic service, another your school or 
home gardens, etc. 

4. Let pupils take the letters home to read to the other members of 
their families. Put the letters on the school bulletin board for a few days 
so that all the school may have a chance to see them. Insert the letters in 
a portfolio and add this to the school library for the use of future classes. 

5. Exchange pressed plants, autumn leaves, drawings, snap-shots, coins, 
stamps, picture postcards, local newspapers, examination papers. Ex- 
change of products may be arranged too; for example, cotton products 
from the South for samples of woods from a lumbering region, or samples 
of minerals for samples of fruit, etc. All these exchanges should be made 
the subject of class studies; so should the articles that are sent away. 

6. Read the story of David Livingstone, the great missionary, and his 
pioneer work in teaching the African natives. Add to your library books 
that tell of schools in other lands. 



CHAPTER XXXVI 

Our Red Cross Auxiliary — Greenbank School Plays 

its Part in the Great War and is Shown its Part 

in the Great Peace 



"'•'• !!!!'i ;"'' 
III' I,';; <•>> 



-,, Ui 



Jii if lift ^ 



''i is !! iV .'; 



Headquarters American Red Cross, Washington, D.C. 

Rescue! Relief! Reconstruction! 

The old three R's — - Readin', 'Ritin', and 'Rithmetic, have new three 
R's added to them now. 

When a country calls on its schools to serve in its war needs, then it is 
the duty of the schools to serve. 

When one's country enters upon the difficult times of peace, there is a 
no less patriotic duty for the schools to answer the call of its leaders. Peace 
hath her victories no less renowned than war — won with hard fighting, too. 

In war and in peace there is opportunity under the Red Cross Banner 
for every boy and every girl in every school in the land to play the part of 
a patriot in the cause of humanity. 

In doing this he or she becomes educated in good citizenship. 

The Red Cross Auxiliary in our School at Greenbank 
has had a very successful career. This has been due, 
in the first place, to the enthusiasm and inspiration of 
our teacher, Miss Norris, and in the second place to the 



OUR RED CROSS AUXILIARY 287 

fact that every family represented in the school has some 
relative fighting "Over There." We had much help and 
encouragement also from the members of the Kingstown 
Chapter under which we carried on our work. We were 
always kept well supplied with yarn and other material 
from their headquarters. Mrs. Lowe, the president, de- 
clared that no group of workers sent in a steadier stream 
of supplies than the Greenbank Auxiliary, nor did any 
group do better knitting or sewing. Naturally we were 
proud of that good reputation — and we worked hard 
to deserve it. We tried to live up to the pledge repre- 
sented in the Red Cross Banner which stands at the front 
of the schoolroom. 

The addition of the new three R's to the old three R's 
did not hinder progress in our regular school work. In- 
deed, Miss Norris thinks our practical interests in Rescue, 
Relief, and Reconstruction helped us greatly in our Read- 
ing, 'Riting, and ^Rithmetic, to say nothing of the many 
fine things learned in Civics, History, Geography, and 
Literature. We felt as we never did before that we were 
an important part of the citizenship of America, and 
this feeling spurred us to do our best in our studies. Be- 
ing part of the "Home Army of Defence" stirred even 
Tom Haslam out of his bad habit of coming late, and what 
is more wonderful, induced Ned Lewis to come to school 
regularly. As Miss Norris frequently pointed out, serv- 
ice for one's country does not at any time permit trifling 
at school, and in time of war such foolishness is downright 
disloyalty. We proved the truth of what the President 
stated in his proclamation, namely that Junior Member- 
ship in the American Red Cross gave every pupil in the 
United States a chance to serve his or her country. 



288 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



Knitting and sewing comprised the most of our Red 
Cross work. Every girl and several of the boys in the 
school learned to knit. Little Amy Blair, who is only 




GREENBANK SCHOOL 

Kent County 

Illinois 



Kingstown Chapter 

AMERICAN RED CROSS 

School Auxiliary 




The Red Cross Banner 

"It finds no tasks too mean to do, or none too huge to heed — 
A baby in a war-wrecked hut, a nation in its need. 
It spans the continents to serve, it leap^ the ocean's foam 
To bring a liint of heaven and a tender touch of home." 

six years old, learned to make wash-cloths. James 
Knapp has five pairs of socks to his credit. Jean Kendals 
holds the record. Up to the signing of the Armistice on 



OUR RED CROSS AUXILIARY 289 

November nth, she had knitted thirty pairs of socks 
and four sleeveless sweaters. We used to have good fun 
with noon-hour knitting races. Shortly after New Year's, 
1 9 18, Mrs. Richards lent a sewing machine to the school. 
It was of great help, as all the girls in Grades 7 and 8 
learned to run it and took delight in doing so. There 
was hardly a noon-hour that it was not busy, and fre- 
quently after school as well. In learning to make the 
simple clothing for the French and Belgian refugee chil- 
dren, the girls of Greenbank School learned a great deal 
about needlework and dress-making. This kind of edu- 
cation served America as well as it helped our needy 
Alhes. 

In addition to sewing and knitting, our Auxiliary car- 
ried out several other lines of activity. Once a week we 
had what we called our Red Cross hour, when items from 
the newspapers and magazines were reported upon. 
Pictures and maps were put up on our bulletin board. A 
picture of Florence Nightingale was framed. Lessons 
on bandaging and caring for woun'ds were given by Alice 
Perkins, who was home on leave for a week. The boys 
gathered waste paper and scrap iron to sell. In April 
we raised over $30 by means of a Red Cross concert at 
which Mr. Lawrence, of Kingstown, gave a talk on the 
war, illustrated with lantern pictures. From this amount 
every boy from the school district serving in France was 
forwarded ten francs. We made up "news-letters" by 
pasting clippings from local newspapers in folders for the 
use of patients in the hospitals. Once a week we sent a 
"school-letter" to one of the lads who represented Green- 
bank School overseas. In the summer we all enlisted as 
war-gardeners. We were a very busy Auxiliary and 



290 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

very happy in our service. What we shall accomplish 
in the future remains to be seen. 

About a week after the Armistice was signed Adeline 
Kennedy received a letter that showed us our duties in 
Reconstruction. As our Auxiliary was at a loss to know 
what kind of Red Cross work a country school could do in 
peace time, it was very welcome, even if the things it 
asks us to do are more difficult than knitting and garden- 
ing. 

This is the letter: 

Somewhere in France, 
October 15, 1918. 
To Adeline Kennedy 

and the Other Pupils of Greenbank School. 
My dear Girls and Boys: — 

The kind note I found to-day in the new socks given to me 
by Nursing-Sister Allan has stirred me to a prompt reply. 
Lying about here in the hospital nursing a smashed elbow and 
a few odd shrapnel wounds, allows one time for letter writing, 
should he be so disposed. And wearing a fine new pair of socks 
knitted by Adeline Kennedy "with her love," and forwarded 
"with the kindest regards of the Red Cross Auxiliary of Green- 
bank School" induces such a disposition in me to-day, for I 
have been thinking a good deal lately of the little school in 
which I used to teach in Wayne County — a school very similar 
to yours, I suppose. 

For the socks and the good wishes which accompanied them 
I extend my heartiest thanks. It makes one very proud of 
the boys and girls of America to know that they have responded 
so generously to every patriotic appeal that has been made to 
them. It helps one to fight better here remembering that the 
"folks back home" are busy on our behalf. It makes pain 
easier to bear, too, knowing that so many of the little comforts 
that we have were the work of loving friends. 



OUR RED CROSS AUXILIARY 291 

No doubt you would like me to tell you something about the 
fighting and the stirring sights we have seen in this part of 
France, but the censor would not permit the letter to go forward 
if I did. I shall have to write about other matters. 

I should like to tell you some of the things I have been think- 
ing lately. Perhaps the thoughts have been due partly to 
homesickness, perhaps to a certain amount of anxiety about what 
a fellow with a crippled left arm can find to do, and to some ex- 
tent perhaps, to feelings of regret for not making better use of 
my opportunities in years gone by. 

Fighting here to help liberate France from her enemy, I have 
become conscious of loving America more than I ever knew that 
I did when home. The Frenchman is always shouting Vive 
la France! Every day in my heart I shout, Vive America! I 
say to myself that if I am spared to return home I will serve 
my native land with my whole heart and my whole mind. I 
have fought for her abroad. I will fight for her at home — in a 
small, feeble way, it may be, but it will be my best. 

You may wonder what there will be to fight for in our peace- 
ful America. I will tell you in the words of a message that I 
read in a magazine. I do not suppose I would have paid much 
attention to such a message a year ago, but in this sorry "school 
of war" I have learned to look at things differently from what 
I used to. I realize now that there are wrongs everywhere in 
the world that should be righted and that every good citizen 
should help in this. 

This is the message. It was written by Stopford Brooke, a 
noble soul who was killed in the fighting at Gallipoli. 

"When we hear of the miseries of a great war, our heart 
is sick with wrath and pity. But we have only a vague 
pity and indignation for those who suffer life-long misery, 
who are slowly slain, whose bodies are year by year worn 
out by over-labor, whose souls are left untrained and un- 
comforted for want of any leisure, who do not possess whjtt 



292 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

they ought to possess of the common necessaries of life, 
who are practically enslaved, whose wage is not a living 
wage, whose labor does not receive a just return, and whose 
war against the injustice and pitilessness and enslavement 
of their condition is, even in free countries, much more in 
unfree countries, all but a hopeless war, in which they get 
all the wounds, and all the sorrow. 

"This is the great war of the world. 

"Of this terrible social and universal war, covetousness 
is also the root. That is as plain as the' sun in the sky. 
If you want to lessen the pains of this war, to bring about 
a peace to it, to establish a juster, freer, nobler social state, 
purge, I repeat, your own soul, set free your life from cove- 
tousness of every kind ; and then you will be able by speech 
and action to unite yourself with all those who are striving 
to redeem society from the curse of this war, and to estab- 
lish, however far away, another social state in which this 
war shall be no more. 

"That is, and is to be, the hope, the faith, the enthu- 
siasm of the future world. 

"Live in, and for, that hope, abide in the faith of it, and 
let every act, thought, and emotion of your life catch the fire 
of its enthusiasm. Then the old world may grow young 
again. New art, new literature, new politics, new business 
will be born, and science will no longer minister to the 
destruction but to the health and betterment of men." 

This means that the progress of the world depends on you! 
Here is the great task for the members of Red Cross School 
Auxiliaries in the days that are to come. Some day — and be- 
fore very long, if signs do not fail — this Great War will be over. 
Then we shall enter upon the Great Peace ! The boys and girls 
of America who are now in the schools will play a great part in 
that as they take their places in the world's work, provided they 
equip themselves properly fgr it, 



OUR RED CROSS AUXILIARY 



293 



And how can you do this, you ask? The rules are simple: 
(i) Love and serve in your homes 

(2) Obey your parents and teachers 

(3) Always speak the truth 

(4) Be honest and clean in thought and deed 

(5) Be helpful and kind, be cheerful and unselfish 

(6) Do your best in play, in work, in study 

(7) Control your temper 

(8) Be true to your friends — and to yourself 

(9) Love your neighbor as yourself 

(10) Take care of your health. 

All of which simply means that human progress is dependent 
on character — yours and mine. 

You will think this quite a sermon! Well, you can blame 
Adeline Kennedy for putting the note in the sock. I wish the 
Greenbank School's Red Cross Auxiliary the best of good luck. 
I trust that all its members may enlist for life in the great army 
that is needed to make America in very deed the home of perfect 
democracy. 
No. 864321 Yours sincerely, 

John Walton 
Suggestions 

1. Continue your interest in Red Cross service in the days of Recon- 
struction. Europe will need America's help for a long time to come. Let 
your school arrange for the "adoption" of a 
French orphan. 

2. Do not allow the school's interest in 
knitting and sewing to cease. Invite some of the 
good knitters of the neighborhood to the school 
to help in teaching every one to knit. Borrow 
or rent a semng machine for use in the school. 

3. Acquaint yourselves with the records of the 
American Red Cross in the Great War. Get 
Red Cross or war books for the school library and 
the local Sunday School library. Arrange for the circulation of the Red 
Cross Magazine that you get at your school among the homes of the neigh- 
borhood. 




294 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

4. Arrange for a talk at the school from a returned soldier or nurse. 
Make an exhibit at the school some Friday afternoon of war souvenirs that 
have been brought back by former pupils. 

5. Use Red Cross seals for your letters and sell them in the neighbor- 
hood at Christmas-time. 

6. Continue the good work of raising money for Red Cross or other 
patriotic purposes by war gardens, saving waste paper or metal, a school 
concert, a booth at your school fair, doing chores. There is always need 
of "ReUef" in some part of the world. 

7. All the heavy cost of the war must be paid for. This means that 
the world is called on as never before to produce and save. Do not waste. 
Save your clothes and your shoes. If they are still fit for use when you are 
through with them see that they get into the right hands. European or- 
phans will welcome them. Keep up your work in producing and saving 
food. This will help in controlling to some extent the cost of living. It is 
good service in Reconstruction. 



CHAPTER XXXVII 

Our School in France — Cloverdale's Honored 
Dead 







Though Agriculture is the greatest of the Arts of Peace, there is a time 
when the Arts of War have chief claim on a nation's young manhood. 

When war rages, the work of the farm has to be cast aside for fighting. 
Thus war turns farmers into soldiers. 

And so shall it be until that good time when swords shall be beaten into 
plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. 

That must be a strange American school that was not represented in the 
Great War, which every one prays will bring into existence "the Parlia- 
ment of man and the Federation of the World." 

What a load will be lifted off Agriculture by such a happy ending! 

Our school has played an honorable part in the Great 
War. No one can say that it has failed in its duty in any 
respect. Everything it has been called upon to do it 
has^ done gladly. It has not shirked, whether it was 
saving food, war gardening, loaning money, making Red 



296 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

Cross supplies, or sending letters and comforts to our 
soldiers. We have felt that our school was at war when 
our country was at war. I suppose most schools have 
felt this way, especially if they have had a teacher like 
Miss Nobel, with two brothers "serving the flag." 

Even without Miss Nobel's enthusiastic encourage- 
ment, I think we should have played an honorable part, 
for we have been proud of the old boys and girls who 
represent Cloverdale School in the fight. Two nurses, 
one doctor, one sailor, and five soldiers is not a poor 
showing for one small country school. One of these, 
Harry O'Brien, will never return. He sleeps in a foreign 
field among the "unreturning brave." Poor Fred Weaver 
lost his left hand. All the others have escaped unharmed. 

The story of Harry O'Brien is one of which we are aU 
particularly proud. Harry was the first from this dis- 
trict to go, and he was only eighteen when he enlisted. 
His mother is a widow and lives on the old Bricker farm 
with her son Frank, who is a great deal older than Harry. 
At the outbreak of the war Harry was attending school 
at Oakland, preparing himself to be a high school teacher 
of Agriculture. His chum at Oakland was a young man, 
Arthur Keene by name. They joined the same regiment 
and after a few months spent in a training camp went 
overseas together with one of the earliest drafts. 

In the spring of 1918 Harry was killed. His poor 
mother got a telegram first telling her he had been se- 
verely wounded and then about a week afterwards an- 
other telegram announcing his death. Poor Mrs. O'Brien! 
Every one felt very sorry for her, for Harry was a general 
favorite and had given promise of becoming a useful 
citizen of whom Cloverdale could be proud. He had 



OUR SCHOOL IN FRANCE 297 

always been a good son. His mother was very brave. 
She said she knew he had died doing his duty. She had 
never known him to fail in that. 

About a month afterwards a letter came from Arthur 
Keene telHng of Harry's death. It was indeed a hero's 
death. That is why we are all so proud of his memory 
and why we think so much of the picture of him that we 
have hanging in our school draped with the little flags. 

This is Arthur Keene's letter: 

Dear Mrs. O'Brien: — 

Though I have never had the honor of meeting you, I feel 
that I know you well. Many and many the chat Harry and I 
have had of our homes. I can assure you that our mothers 
— as they are with all the fellows over here — were the center 
of our home thoughts. And I feel that you know me pretty well 
too, for Harry sent you our picture which was taken after we 
had enlisted, and I suppose often spoke of me in his letters. 

By this time you will have recovered some from the great 
shock of Harry's death and will have received the Captain's 
letter telling of his burial. Perhaps when I tell you the par- 
ticulars of his unselfish devotion to a wounded companion you 
will find some solace in realizing what a brave hero your boy 
was. 

We had been in many hot places together, but never so hot a 
one as on the morning of the loth of May. We were together 
as usual. Five months at the front had strengthened the bonds 
of our school and training-camp friendship. He was a great 
friend! I can never have another like him, I think. On the 
fatal morning our company was ordered to "go over the top." 
It was not part of a big battle, but one of those small local en- 
gagements necessary to find out what the enemy is doing and 
his numbers. We took the enemy by surprise and soon had 
possession of the first line of trenches. Then, protected by the 



298 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

fire of our machine gunners, we dashed forward to the second 
hne. Between the second and third lines of trenches, I was 
struck down by a German bullet in my side. Harry was right 
behind me and disregarding the danger to himself, a danger 
made ten times greater by standing still and stooping, he bent 
over me and partly lifted, partly dragged me to the shelter of a 
little hollow. While in the act of taking off some of my equip- 
ment, he was hit by a bullet that pierced his body close to the 
base of his spine. 

By this time I had partially recovered from the shock pro- 
duced by my wound and was able to drag him down beside me. 
When the action was over, the boys got a stretcher for him and 
carried him to the dressing station. I was able to walk back 
with a little help. He was quite cheerful as long as I saw him, 
though very weak. The doctor hurried him back to the base 
hospital, but his wound was grievous. He died that night, 
giving his young life that freedom might live on the earth. As 
I was sent to a different hospital I did not see him again. That 
was not to be. Our earthly friendship has ended. 

I know that you cannot help but feel his loss keenly, but in 
his conversations during our intimate comradeship together in 
France, when fellows talk of serious things, Harry told me of 
your faith in Him to whom mortals turn in time of sorrow. He 
had your faith too. I pray that He may bring peace to you 
and that you will not forget the fact that Harry died for a com- 
rade. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay 
down his life for his friend." Harry has shown us the supreme 
example of love. His memory will be proudly cherished by me 
as long as I live. 

My words are too poor to express my sympathy in your great 
loss. I hope you will accept them in the spirit in which they 
are written — the spirit of sorrow over Harry's death, of pride 
in his friendship, and of glory in the beautiful act of self-sacri- 
fice that caused his death. 



OUR SCHOOL IN FRANCE 



299 



If I am spared, I plan to visit you in Cloverdale sometime 
after the war is over. It is a visit I planned to make with 
Harry to see the old farm, and the old home, and chiefly the 
mother that was so dear to him. Until fortune favors me with 
this, 

BeUeve me. 

Yours sincerely, 
Arthur Keene. 
Somewhere in France, 
June I, igi8. 

Arthur Keene's proposed visit to Mrs. O'Brien will 
never be paid. He also made the supreme sacrifice. 
After recovering from his wound he rejoined his regiment 
at the front, and there in the desperate fighting at Chateau- 
Thierry met his death. 

Suggestions 

1. Keep your school flag flying. Remember that the struggle is not 
completed with the signing of peace. There is much to be done in the 
years to come "to make the world safe for democracy." Your school has 
a part to play in this. 

2. Do not let the memory of your school's fighting men be lost to the 
school. Have their photographs neatly framed in a panel and given a 
prominent place on the wall. Have the boys' names and the years in 
which they attended the school inscribed on their photographs. Include 
the pictures of any of the girls from the school who served as nurses or 
volunteer workers. 

3. Keep in a scrap-book or portfolio for your school library the letters 
and postcards that may have been sent back to the school. 

4. Ask returned men and women to visit the school and tell you of their 
experiences and adventures. 

5. Revive the reminiscences of local veterans of the Civil and Spanish 
Wars and have them retold at the school. 

6. Erect a bronze tablet in your school to the memory of any of the 
school's old pupils who lost their lives in the Great War. Arrange for a 
pubhc meeting when it is unveiled. Estabhsh prizes or scholarships for 
pupils of your school as memorials to the dead. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII 

Our Place in Society — How George Howard Learned 

that a Farmer's Calling Gives Opportunity 

" to do Something and to be Somebody " 














Lincoln's Tribute to Agriculture 

"No other human occupation opens so wide a field for the profitable 
and agreeable combination of labor with cultivated thought as agricul- 
ture. I know nothing so pleasant to the mind as the discovery of anything 
that is at once new and valuable — nothing that so lightens and sweetens 
toil as the hopeful pursuit of such a discovery. 

"And how vast and how varied a field is agriculture for such a discovery! 
The mind, already trained to thought in the country school, or higher school, 
cannot fail to find there an exhaustless source of enjoyment. Every blade 
of grass is a study; and to produce two where there was but one is both a 
profit and a pleasure." 

I do not now go to school as a pupil. After a manner 
I attend in the persons of my little daughter Amy and her 
younger brother George. Through them I still learn 
much from the school, One is never too old to learn from 



OUR PLACE IN SOCIETY 301 

children, if he will keep his heart young. Amy is eleven 
years old, and in the same grade as I was just about 
twenty-six yea,rs ago. George is nine. 

There are many changes in school since my day. We 
often talk about them in the evening when Amy and 
George pause in their work of preparing the next day's 
lessons, or when they tell us something of the day's hap- 
penings at school. Good old schooldays! There never 
again can be such good days to look back upon! 

It is strange how one's memory acts in regard to school 
experiences. I seem to be able to remember clearly more 
things that I did not go to school to learn than things 
I was supposed to go to school for. I have forgotten 
many lists of names in geography; I could hardly repeat 
a definition in grammar to save my life. I think I should 
have more mistakes in spelling now than I had then. 
But I could tell you all about the fight that took place 
between Jake Hermann and Tom Miller, or the good 
times we used to have on our walk home after school, 
or the way little Tom Thumb, as we called George Lamon, 
used to stand and read. 

But there is one lesson that stands out clearly in my 
memory, as if it were yesterday that I received it. It 
was not a lesson that came from' a book or in a class. It 
was one that came from a talk on the road. I was about 
fourteen years old then. My older brother Herbert had 
left home the year before to learn his trade at black- 
smithing in Mooretown, and I was very discontented 
and wanted to be off too. 

I was not very much interested in the school work, 
though Mr. Whyte, our schoolmaster, tried to make it 
interesting. I would have stayed at home far more 



302 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

gladly to work among the stock, but my mother wanted 
me to get a little more schoohng. Mother would have 
Hked to see us all "get an education." But I did not 
have any notion of it. Father kept us home too often 
to permit us to be anything but backward pupils in our 
classes. 

This day I had been particularly uninterested, I sup- 
pose, for I made a very poor attempt at the problems that 
Mr. Whyte set us for our Arithmetic lesson. They were 
interest questions. I did not get one right. Mr. 
Whyte was disappointed and told me to wait after four. 
He was not angry. I almost wished he had been, for I 
was a stubborn lad. 

After all the other pupils had gone home, Mr. Whyte 
came down to my seat. He had the kindest smile 
and he put his hand on my shoulder in a way that 
made me feel at once that he was my friend. Then he 
sat down in the seat beside me. I felt queer, as if some 
great thing were going to happen to me. 

"Now, George," he said, "let us have a look at one 
of these problems. They are pretty hard to solve, I 
know, but they are not too hard for a boy with as good a 
head on him as yours is." 

I got out my Arithmetic, feeling that I would like to 
justify his good opinion of the head that he had dis- 
covered on me. No one had ever praised me before, 
that I remembered, except my mother. Father never 
did. 

Mr. Whyte went over the problem with me very pa- 
tiently and explained all about borrowing money and 
paying for its use. He made a kind of story of it. I 
can remember the very problem to this day. We worked 



OUR PLACE IN SOCIETY 303 

it out together and got the correct answer as easily as a, 
b, c. 

"Now let us go home," he said. "You try the other 
problems to-night. You can do them just as well as any 
other boy in the school, — I am sure of that." 

We started off home together, as he boarded at the 
Buckley's, who lived at that time on the second farm 
past ours. It was not hard to talk to him after I learned 
that he was my friend. It never is hard to talk freely 
with one you can trust. Even when he asked me, after 
we had gone a little way, what I was going to make out 
of myself, I did not hold back my answer. And that is 
usually a pretty hard question for a boy of fourteen to 
answer. 

"And you think you would like to be a blacksmith, 
too, George?" he asked. "Well, it is a pretty good trade 
for any one who is strong and fond of that kind of work. 
But what about being a farmer?" 

" No, not a farmer ! " I said. " Anything but a farmer ! " 

"Why not?" Mr. Whyte asked. "The world needs 
farmers as much as it does blacksmiths, does it not?" 

"Yes, I suppose it does," I said, surprised at myself 
at arguing the question. "But none of the boys wants 
to be a farmer if he can help it. It is all hard work, and 
there is nothing interesting sticking around a farm all 
one's life. I'd like to get into work where I'd have more 
of a chance to do something and to be somebody." 

"To do something and to be somebody!" Mr. Whyte 
exclaimed, laughing. "Why, George! Farming is the 
biggest job a man can tackle, and the most interesting 
one. Agriculture is the most important profession in 
the world. You don't need to go away from home to 



304 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

'do something and be somebody.' Opportunity stands 
before you right here." 

"I don't see how you make that out," I rephed. "I 
never saw much in it." 

"You are fond of cattle, aren't you?" he asked. 

"Yes," I acknowledged, not knowing what that had 
to do with the question. 

"Well, don't you know that the country needs more 
cattle and better cattle?" he went on. "There is honor 
for the man who will serve his country by improving our 
herds. There is an interesting job for you — and a 
scientific one, too. It is a job for men with brains! 

"In that part of farming alone, to say nothing of the 
work to be done with field crops and fruit, with horses 
and sheep and swine and poultry, there is as much scope 
for genius as there is in blacksmi thing," he continued. 
"Our country can hardly have too many men giving 
their minds to such work." 

"Well, I never thought of it that way," I confessed. 
"I only thought of it as hard work for sometimes little 
pay." 

"And naturally you would like 'to be somebody,'" 
he laughed. "I would not give much for any one who 
did not. Some day I am going to be a great minister 
myself, you'll see, George! 

"But it is not a man's particular occupation that 
makes him 'somebody.' A man's true worth is meas- 
ured by his ideals and his service," he said with great 
earnestness. 

"I sometimes lose patience with farmers for not 
showing respect for their calling. There is no higher 
caUing that a man will ever have, in my opinion. The 



OUR PLACE IN SOCIETY 305 

farmer nourishes the world. He gives it its daily bread. 
The world's life depends on him. 

"Think the matter over carefully, George," this best 
of schoolmasters said as we came near our gate. "You 
have a good farm here, but it may be better. There never 
was a farm yet that could not be improved. It is not 
necessary for you to leave home. There is a man's job 
for you here at the most natural and the most independent 
kind of work that society can offer a man." 

That was the most memorable lesson I ever had. 

I took it to heart, and here I am to-day, on the old 
homestead, a farmer, glad and proud of it! 

I have tested Mr. Whyte's words in practice. I have 
built up a good herd of pure-bred cattle. I have im- 
proved the old farm in many ways. I feel that I have 
served my country in so doing. This has been a great 
satisfaction to me. 

I might have made a good blacksmith. I might have 
acquired wealth. I do not think I could have been 
happier than I have been as a farmer. I know I could 
not be more independent. 

Suggestions 

1. In your district are farmers selected as representatives of the people 
for political offices? If not, why is it so? 

2. Invite some of the farmers of your district who have made a success 
of their calhng and who are proud of it to give talks at the school on the 
business and satisfactions of farming. 

■3. Who are the farmer's servants and who are his masters? Make a 
list of all the different occupations of people who serve the needs of the 
farmer. It will be a long list. Make another list of the people whom the 
farmer serves. Has he masters? 

4. Are there men and women in your neighborhood who belittle them- 
selves as farmers? If they do, is it because they think farm work less dig- 



3o6 RURAL SCIENCE READER 

nified or less honorable than other work? Or is it because they feel them- 
selves at a disadvantage in education? 

5. For some of the Friday afternoon programs, debate such resolu- 
tions as: — 

(a) Resolved, That a farmer's position in society is more deserving of re- 
spect than the position of a store-keeper. 

(b) Resolved, That farm women are the most important group of women 
in the nation. 

(c) Resolved, That an independent farmer of moderate means is as well 
off as a miUionaire. 

{d) Resolved, That country Ufe is more to be desired than city or town life. 



CHAPTER XXXIX 
L'Envoi 




And so, Boys and Girls, we come to the last chapter 
of our Rural Science Reader. If you have done as many 
readers of story-books are supposed to do, you have al- 
ready turned over the pages to find how "things come 
out in the end" in the last educational adventure? And 
instead of an exploit you find only this V envoi — and 
what that means, you will not be told, so that you may 
have the fun of finding out for yourself! 

The last story is about Tom and Mother Carey. Per- 
haps you know the story? Your teacher may have told 
it to you, or you may have read it yourself as Kingsley 
wrote it in the Water Babies "for his youngest son Gren- 
ville Arthur and all other good little boys." 

You know poor little Tom fell into the river and was 
changed in some mysterious way from Old Grimes' dirty 



3o8 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



little chimney-sweep into a wonderful Water Baby. 
AncL to make a man of him, his schoolmistress Mrs. Be- 
donebyasyoudid insisted on him going out into the world 
alone to find Old Grimes at the Other-end-of-Nowhere 




■ Mother Carey and Tom 



and to help him out of the trouble that his cruelty and 
badness had brought upon him. 

It was a great adventure for Tom. First, he had to 
go to Shiny Wall and through the White Gate that never 
was opened. Then, Mrs. Bedonebyasyoudid told him 
that he would come to Peacepool and Mother Carey's 
Haven where the good whales go when they die. And 



L'ENVOI 309 

there Mother Carey would tell him the way to the Other- 
end-of-Nowhere, where he would find Old Grimes. 

At last, after many strange adventures that tested 
Tom's ingenuity and bravery, he reached Mother Carey, 
who received him very kindly. 

"What do you want, my little man? It is long since 
I have seen a water baby here." 

Tom told her his errand and asked the way to the 
Other-end-of-Nowhere. 

"You ought to know yourself, for you have been there 
already.'' 

"Have I, ma'am? I'm sure I forgot all about it." 

"Then look at me." 

And, as Tom looked into her great blue eyes, he recol- 
lected the way perfectly. Now was not that strange? 

"Thank you, ma'am," said Tom. "Then I won't 
trouble your ladyship any more; I hear you are very busy." 

"I am never more busy than I am now," she said, 
without stirring a finger. 

"I heard, ma'am, that you were always making new 
beasts out of old." 

"So people fancy. But I am not going to trouble my- 
self to make things, my little dear. / sif, here and make 
them make themselves. ^^ 

You are a clever fairy, indeed, thought Tom. And he 
was quite right. 

And the rural school is a clever fairy, too, like Mother 
Carey. She sits in our midst and makes things make 
themselves. She is the Alma Mater (and we will not 
tell you what that means either) for millions of the 
country boys and girls of the United States and Canada. 
If you have followed us through all our adventures you 



3IO 



RURAL SCIENCE READER 



will see that she will, if encouraged by sensible people 
and not hindered by foolish folks, pour out an abundance 
of self-made blessings such as: 



Play 


Good homes 


Music 


Better housekeeping 


Health 


Gardens and flowers 


Thrift 


Trees and orchards 


Progress 


Better business 


Intelligence 


Improved live stock 


Patriotism 


Enriched soil 


Unselfishness 


Better crops 


NeighborUness 


More schooling 


Cooperation 


Better schools 


Happy hearts 


Improved roads 


Quick minds 


Libraries 


Ready hands 


Literary Societies 


Good manners 


Fondness for good reading 


Self-respect 


Home and School Clubs 


Pride of calling 


Community spirit 


Love of home 


Federated churches 


Joy of service 


International friendships 


Knowledge of Nature 


Peace and good will 


Liberty 


Equality Fraternity 




Democracy 



We trust that when you grow up, each one of you will 
be one of the most sensible of the sensible people, and in 
the meantime as day by day you learn your lessons in 
school and at home, that you may be blessed by these 
great blessings. 

This is renvoi. 



